title: A potential electroencephalography and cognitive biosignature for the child behavior checklist-dysregulation profile.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Child Behavior Checklist-Dysregulation Profile (CBCL/DP) identifies youth at increased risk for significant psychopathology. Although the genetic architecture and several biological correlates of the CBCL/DP have been described, little work has elucidated its underlying neurobiology. We examined the potential utility of electroencephalography (EEG), along with behavioral and cognitive assessments, in differentiating individuals based on the CBCL/DP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants aged 7 to 14 years of age were categorized into 3 age- and sex-matched groups based on clinical assessment and CBCL/DP: typically developing controls without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (n = 38), individuals with ADHD without the CBCL/DP (ADHD/DP-) (n = 38), and individuals with the CBCL/DP (CBCL/DP+) (n = 38). Groups were compared with EEG and measures of clinical phenomenology and cognition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ADHD/DP- and CBCL/DP+ groups had increased inattention, but the CBCL/DP+ group had increased hyperactive/impulsive symptoms, disruptive behavior, mood, and anxiety comorbidities compared with the group with ADHD alone. Cognitive profiles suggested that ADHD/DP-participants had fast impulsive responses, whereas CBCL/DP+ participants were slow and inattentive. On EEG, CBCL/DP+ had a distinct profile of attenuated δ-band and elevated α-band spectral power in the central and parietal regions compared to ADHD/DP- and controls. The low-δ/high-α profile was correlated with measures of emotion and behavior problems and not with inattentive symptomatology or cognitive measures. There were no EEG differences between the ADHD/DP- and control groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An EEG/cognitive profile suggests a distinct pattern of underlying neural dysfunction with the CBCL/DP that might ultimately serve as a biosignature. Further work is required to identify potential relationships with clinically defined psychiatric disorders, particularly those of dysregulated mood.
authors.affiliation: Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior and David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California-Los Angeles. Electronic address: jmcgough@mednet.ucla.edu.
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McGough
authors.forename: James T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: McCracken
authors.forename: Alexander L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Castelo
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sturm
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cowen
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Piacentini
authors.forename: Sandra K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Loo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000513:Alpha Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D019958:Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D057189:Checklist; D002648:Child; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003700:Delta Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
keywords: attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); biological markers; brain imaging techniques; cognitive neuroscience; mood dysregulation