This study examined texture discrimination task (TDT) perceptual learning in adults with ADHD — with and without pharmacological treatment — compared to neurotypical controls, across four training sessions using a dual-task paradigm (central fixation identification + peripheral texture orientation discrimination).
Adults with unmedicated ADHD showed elevated perceptual thresholds and slower reaction times vs. controls, while medicated ADHD participants had significantly lower thresholds, even surpassing controls. Despite baseline differences, all three groups showed perceptual learning (improved performance over days).
- Study limited to adults; findings may not generalize to children or adolescents with ADHD. - Medication type, dose, and duration were not detailed, limiting interpretation of the pharmacological effect. - Small or unspecified sample size; statistical power is unclear from the abstract alone.
Perceptual learning capacity appears intact in adults with ADHD regardless of medication status, suggesting TDT-based training could be a viable tool for this population. Medication may meaningfully normalize — or even enhance — perceptual sensitivity, which clinicians should factor in when designing cognitive or sensory training programs.
