Comparison of verbal learning and memory in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Background: Children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) have deficits in verbal learning and recall. However, the specificity of these deficits has not been adequately tested. In the current study, verbal learning and memory performance of children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure was compared to children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a disorder commonly seen in alcohol‐exposed children. Methods: Performance on the California Verbal Learning Test—Children’s Version (CVLT‐C) was examined in 3 groups of children (N = 22/group): (i) heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and ADHD (ALC), (ii) nonexposed with ADHD (ADHD), and (iii) nonexposed typically developing (CON). Groups were matched on age, sex, race, ethnicity, handedness, and socioeconomic status (SES). Results: Group differences were noted on learning trials (CON > ADHD > ALC). On the delayed recall trial, CON children performed better than both clinical groups, who did not differ from each other. Children in the ALC group demonstrated poorer recognition than children in the CON and ADHD groups, who did not differ from each other. Marginally significant group differences were noted on retention of previously learned material. Post hoc analyses indicated that ADHD children showed worse retention relative to the CON group, whereas retention in the ALC children remained intact. Conclusions: These data suggest that children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure and nonexposed children with ADHD show differential patterns of deficit on the CVLT‐C. Performance of alcohol‐exposed children reflects inefficient encoding of verbal material, whereas performance of the ADHD group may be better characterized by a deficit in retrieval of learned material. Differences noted between clinical groups add to a growing neurobehavioral profile of FASD that may aid in differential diagnosis.