A Virtual Reality (VR) Exploration of Inhibitory Control and Working Memory in Adults with ADHD

Abstract Background: Inhibitory control deficit is associated with socio-economic consequences such as difficulty in social interaction and poor academic/working performance. Previous studies have found inhibitory control problems in ADHD. But most studies concentrated on response inhibition and children with ADHD. Aim: This study aimed to investigate inhibitory control ability and working memory capacity in adults with ADHD and the relationship between inhibitory control and working memory. Methods & Procedures: twenty-four participants were divided into control and ADHD group according to ASRS scores. Participants completed 10 VR tasks. Two response inhibition tasks (go/no-go task and antisaccade task) and one attentional inhibition task (inattentional blindness task) were examined in this report. Commission error rate and reaction time were analyzed for two response inhibition tasks, direction error rates were additionally calculated for the antisaccade task. Counting accuracy, detection of unexpected stimulus and mean gaze distance were analyzed for the inattentional inhibition task. UNWR scores were measured for all participants. Results: The results failed to prove inhibitory control deficit in ADHD. But they showed a significant lower phonological working memory capacity in ADHD and indicated a negative correlation between UNWR scores and the commission error rate of the antisaccade task.