Cortical activity patterns in ADHD during arousal, activation and sustained attention.
OBJECTIVE
The goal of the present study is to test whether there are Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)-related differences in brain electrical activity patterns across arousal, activation and vigilance states.


METHODS
The sample consists of 80 adults (38 with ADHD and 42 non-ADHD controls) who were recruited for a family study on the genetics of ADHD. Patterns of cortical activity were measured using electroencephalography (EEG) during baseline and sustained attention conditions and compared according to ADHD diagnostic status. Cortical activity was examined separately for the first, middle, and last 5-min of the sustained attention task to assess whether patterns differed over time and according to ADHD status.


RESULTS
In frontal and parietal regions, patterns of activation in the alpha (8-10 Hz) range differed according to ADHD status, indicating increased cortical arousal among ADHD subjects. Beta power (13-14 and 17-18 Hz) also differed between ADHD and controls, indicating increased cortical activation is associated with ADHD. Behavioral performance on the sustained attention task did not differ significantly by diagnosis. EEG correlates of cognitive performance differed significantly ADHD diagnosis and were primarily in frontal regions. Brain activation patterns recorded during the sustained attention task suggest that the ADHD group exhibited significantly increased cortical activation at the end of the task when compared to controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Adults with ADHD may have different neural organization primarily in frontal regions which results in the need for continually high levels of cortical activation to maintain sustained attention.
Loo
Sandra K
SK
Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles, CA 90024, United States. SLoo@mednet.ucla.edu
Hale
T Sigi
TS
Macion
James
J
Hanada
Grant
G
McGough
James J
JJ
McCracken
James T
JT
Smalley
Susan L
SL
D000328:Adult; D000513:Alpha Rhythm; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D013057:Spectrum Analysis