Aperiodic and periodic components of oscillatory brain activity in relation to cognition and symptoms in pediatric
Ornella Dakwar-Kawar1, Tal Mentch-Lifshits1, Shachar Hochman2
1School of Occupational Therapy, Hebrew University, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, 9124001, Israel.
Insights
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit slower processing speeds and altered brain activity. Both periodic and aperiodic neural oscillations are linked to cognitive deficits in ADHD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
Background:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with cognitive deficits, including impaired processing speed.
- Aberrant neural oscillations, encompassing both periodic and aperiodic brain activity, are implicated in ADHD pathophysiology.
- Understanding these neural mechanisms is crucial for evaluating cognitive dysfunction in ADHD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in processing speed and resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) neural oscillations between children with and without ADHD.
- To examine the associations between neural oscillations and processing speed in children.
- To explore the distinct roles of periodic and aperiodic neural activity in ADHD-related cognitive function.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state EEG data were collected from children aged 6-12 years, with and without ADHD.
- Spectral analysis using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) was employed to assess periodic oscillations (theta, beta power, theta/beta ratio).
- A parameterization method was used to quantify aperiodic activity (exponent), reflecting neuronal excitation-inhibition balance.
Main Results:
- Children with ADHD showed increased fronto-central theta and beta power compared to controls, but no difference in the theta/beta ratio.
- The ADHD group exhibited a higher aperiodic exponent, suggesting reduced neuronal excitation-inhibition.
- The aperiodic exponent negatively correlated with processing speed across all children, while FFT-based theta power correlated with ADHD symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Both periodic (theta, beta power) and aperiodic (exponent) neural activity components differ in children with ADHD.
- The aperiodic exponent is a significant correlate of processing speed deficits in ADHD.
- Periodic and aperiodic neural spectrum components offer complementary insights into evaluating processing speed in ADHD.
Abstract:
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder show deficits in processing speed, as well as aberrant neural oscillations, including both periodic (oscillatory) and aperiodic (1/f-like) activity, reflecting the pattern of power across frequencies. Both components were suggested as underlying neural mechanisms of cognitive dysfunctions in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Here, we examined differences in processing speed and resting-state-Electroencephalogram neural oscillations and their associations between 6- and 12-year-old children with (n = 33) and without (n = 33) attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Spectral analyses of the resting-state EEG signal using fast Fourier transform revealed increased power in fronto-central theta and beta oscillations for the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder group, but no differences in the theta/beta ratio. Using the parameterization method, we found a higher aperiodic exponent, which has been suggested to reflect lower neuronal excitation-inhibition, in the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder group. While fast Fourier transform-based theta power correlated with clinical symptoms for the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder group only, the aperiodic exponent was negatively correlated with processing speed across the entire sample. Finally, the aperiodic exponent was correlated with fast Fourier transform-based beta power. These results highlight the different and complementary contribution of periodic and aperiodic components of the neural spectrum as metrics for evaluation of processing speed in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Future studies should further clarify the roles of periodic and aperiodic components in additional cognitive functions and in relation to clinical status.
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