[Alpha competitive structure in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder with/without learning disabilities].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the alpha competitive structure in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with/without learning disabilities (LD).


METHODS
According to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, the study involved ADHD children with LD, pure ADHD children and normal controls. Each group consisted of 68 subjects. All subjects were between the ages of 7 and 14 years, and the groups were matched by sex, age and ADHD subtypes. EEG data were recorded during an eye-closed resting period and then were analyzed with EEG-encephaloflutuographic technology (EEG-ET).


RESULTS
(1) The pure ADHD children showed significantly more 8 Hz activity (25.84%+/-14.81%) than that of the normal control group (16.50%+/-11.42%, P=0.000); The main frequency of alpha band was 10 Hz in the pure ADHD children, while the energy distribution among alpha components was diffuse. (2) ADHD children with LD showed significantly more 8 Hz and 13 Hz activity (25.11%+/-11.88%, 1.14%+/-1.14%, separately) than that of the normal control (16.50%+/-11.42%, 0.74%+/-0.97%, P=0.000, P=0.009, separately); The dominant probability of 10 Hz (27.80%+/-13.28%) in this group was significantly lower than that of the control group (36.06%+/-17.21%, P=0.011); The energy distribution among alpha components was diffuse in ADHD children with LD, whose main frequency of alpha band was 9 Hz; The entropy value of the ADHD children with LD was significantly higher than that of the control group in the right brain and the left parietal region, temporal region, occipital region (P<0.01). In the right temporal region and right occipital region, the entropy value of the ADHD children with LD was significantly higher than that of the pure ADHD children (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The pathogenic mechanisms are different between ADHD children with or without LD. The pure ADHD children show more maturational lag pattern in the central nervous system, while ADHD children with LD have a developmental deviation from normal children, whose brain function is in a lower efficient state.
Sun
Li
L
Institute of Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100083, China.
Wang
Yu-feng
YF
He
Hua
H
Chen
Jin
J
D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male