title: Brain functional connectivity abnormalities in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
abstract: Recent evidence suggests that attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with brain functional connectivity (FC) abnormalities.
  
  
  
  In this study, we use steady-state visually evoked potential event-related partial coherence as a measure of brain FC to examine functional connectivity differences between a typically developing (TD) group of 25 boys and an age/IQ-matched group of 42 drug naive boys newly diagnosed with ADHD (ADHD group). Functional connectivity was estimated while both groups performed a low-demand reference task and the A-X version of the continuous performance task (CPT A-X).
  
  
  
  While the TD and ADHD groups exhibited similar prefrontal FC increases prior to the appearance of the target in the reference task, these groups demonstrated significant FC differences in the interval preceding the appearance of the target in the CPT A-X task. Specifically, the ADHD group exhibited robust prefrontal and parieto-frontal FC increases that were not apparent in the TD group.
  
  
  
  The FC differences observed in the ADHD group are discussed in the context of inadequate suppression of cortical networks that may interfere with task performance.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Human Psychopharmacology Swinburne University Hawthorn Vic.Australia; Neuro-Insight Pty Ltd Melbourne Vic. Australia.
authors.forename: Richard B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Silberstein
authors.affiliation: Centre for Human Psychopharmacology Swinburne University Hawthorn Vic. Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pipingas
authors.affiliation: Wicking Dementia Research & Education Centre University of Tasmania Hobart Tas. Australia.
authors.forename: Maree
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farrow
authors.affiliation: Prince of Wales Hospital and School of Psychiatry University of New South Wales Sydney NSW Australia.
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.affiliation: Centre for Human Psychopharmacology Swinburne University Hawthorn Vic. Australia.
authors.forename: Con K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Stough
authors.affiliation: Centre for Human Psychopharmacology Swinburne University Hawthorn Vic. Australia.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Camfield
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*
keywords: brain functional connectivity; default mode network; steady state visually evoked potential