Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 2, 2025
Using Brain Activation nir-HEG/Q-EEG and Execution Measures CPTs in a ADHD Assessment Protocol
Published on: April 1, 2018
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex dysfunction caused by a go/no-go task in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity
Ting Wu1, Xiaoli Liu1, Fang Cheng1
1Affiliated Mental Health Centre & Ningbo Kangning Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
Insights
Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show reduced prefrontal brain activity during a go/no-go task. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) revealed significant differences in brain function between ADHD and typically developing children.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is linked to executive function deficits.
- These deficits are associated with prefrontal brain region dysfunction.
- Understanding ADHD-related brain alterations is crucial for effective interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate prefrontal brain activity alterations in children with ADHD.
- To compare brain activity during a go/no-go task between ADHD and typically developing (TD) children.
- To utilize functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) for assessing brain function.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 32 children with ADHD and 31 TD children.
- Administered a go/no-go task to all participants.
- Measured changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (Δavg oxy-Hb) in the prefrontal lobe using fNIRS.
Main Results:
- Observed significant differences in brain activity between left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortices.
- The ADHD group exhibited lower Δavg oxy-Hb changes compared to the TD group.
- fNIRS data indicated functional impairments in the prefrontal cortex of children with ADHD.
Conclusions:
- Prefrontal cortex functional impairments are associated with ADHD-related brain dysfunction.
- The go/no-go task combined with fNIRS is a valuable tool for assessing prefrontal dysfunction in ADHD.
- This approach aids in understanding and potentially diagnosing ADHD in children.
Background:
Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit executive function deficits, which can be attributed to a dysfunction in the prefrontal region of the brain. Our study aims to evaluate the alteration of brain activity in children with ADHD during the administration of a go/no-go task using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) in comparison to a control group containing typically developing (TD) children.
Methods:
32 children with ADHD and 31 of their TD peers were recruited and asked to perform a go/no-go task while undergoing measurements, with the aim of detecting changes in average oxygenated hemoglobin signaling (Δavg oxy-Hb) via fNIRS in the prefrontal lobe.
Results:
fNIRS data showed significant differences between the left and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortices, with a lower Δavg oxy-Hb change in the ADHD group compared to the TD group.
Conclusion:
Our results indicate that brain dysfunction in children with ADHD is related to functional impairments in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The go/no-go task paired with fNIRS represents a useful measurement tool to assess prefrontal brain dysfunction in children struggling with ADHD.
More Related Videos
10:02Event Related Potentials ERPs and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD
Published on: March 12, 2020
07:53Group Synchronization During Collaborative Drawing Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Published on: August 5, 2022
