Associations between ADHD symptoms, executive function and frontal EEG in college students

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often associated with executive function (EF) deficits.
• Existing research highlights differences in electroencephalogram (EEG) spectral power between resting and task states.
• Understanding objective biomarkers for ADHD is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if EEG spectral power change scores predict self-reported ADHD symptoms.
• To assess if EEG spectral power change scores predict ADHD symptoms independently of executive function abilities.
• To explore the utility of EEG spectral power change scores as an objective measure for ADHD.

Main Methods:

• Collected EEG spectral power data during resting state and an attention network test (ANT) from 52 adult participants.
• Measured ADHD symptoms using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) and executive function using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF-A) Global Executive Composite (GEC) T-scores.
• Utilized bivariate correlations and linear regressions to analyze the relationship between EEG change scores and self-reported ADHD/EF measures.

Main Results:

• EEG spectral power change scores in the alpha band significantly predicted ADHD symptoms, independent of executive function scores.
• No significant predictive relationship was found for theta and beta band EEG spectral power change scores.
• An inverse relationship in alpha band change scores between left and right hemispheres supported frontal asymmetry theory in ADHD.

Conclusions:

• EEG spectral power change scores, particularly in the alpha band, show potential as objective predictors of ADHD symptoms.
• These findings suggest that EEG spectral power changes may capture cognitive load beyond executive function deficits.
• Further research is warranted to validate EEG change scores as an objective measure in clinical ADHD populations.