Electroencephalogram complexity analysis in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder during a visual...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Child Psychology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder.
• Current understanding of ADHD pathophysiology often focuses on fronto-striatal dysfunction.
• Investigating brain activity dynamics through complexity analysis offers novel insights.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare electroencephalogram (EEG) complexity using Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC) between children with ADHD and healthy controls during a cognitive task.
• To identify differences in brain activity patterns associated with ADHD during cognitive load.

Main Methods:

• Thirty children diagnosed with ADHD (ages 7-12) and 30 healthy controls participated.
• EEG data were collected during a cognitive task.
• Lempel-Ziv complexity (LZC) was computed to analyze EEG signal complexity.

Main Results:

• Children with ADHD showed significantly higher LZC in right anterior and posterior brain regions compared to controls.
• The ADHD group exhibited greater complexity in the right hemisphere versus the left.
• Healthy controls displayed higher complexity in the left hemisphere compared to the right.

Conclusions:

• Findings suggest altered brain complexity in posterior regions and potentially the cerebellum in children with ADHD.
• The results challenge a sole focus on fronto-striatal dysfunction, highlighting broader neural network involvement.
• EEG complexity analysis provides a valuable tool for understanding ADHD neurobiology.