Hemispheric Coherence in ASD with and without Comorbid ADHD and Anxiety

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Altered brain connectivity is increasingly recognized as a hallmark of neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), anxiety, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are frequently associated with distinct neural network differences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in resting-state functional connectivity using EEG oscillation coherence across developmental disorders.
• To examine the impact of comorbid conditions on brain connectivity patterns in ASD, ADHD, and anxiety.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 128-channel EEG to measure resting-state functional connectivity via oscillation coherence.
• Analyzed coherence patterns separately in groups with and without comorbid conditions.
• Correlated anxiety symptoms with specific coherence measures.

Main Results:

• ASD group showed increased central motor cortex coherence and decreased frontal lobe coherence compared to controls.
• ADHD group exhibited increased occipital lobe network coherence.
• Generalised anxiety symptoms correlated positively with frontal-occipital and occipital interhemispheric coherence.
• Coherence patterns in the pure ASD group differed when comorbidities were included, highlighting ASD-specific frontal and central aberrations.

Conclusions:

• Brain connectivity patterns, specifically EEG coherence, differ significantly across ASD, ADHD, and anxiety.
• Comorbid conditions appear to have an additive effect on brain network alterations rather than being intrinsic symptoms of a single disorder.
• Findings underscore the importance of considering comorbidities in understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of developmental disorders.