Movement-related cortical potentials underlying motor preparation and execution in children with
Marija Pranjić1, Virginia Peisch2, Gaelle Gourdet2
1Division of Developmental Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
Insights
Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) show atypical brain activity during movement preparation, not execution. Motor difficulties in ADHD may stem from separate causes, suggesting distinct interventions are needed.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Motor control difficulties are common in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
- The underlying causes of this comorbidity are not well understood.
- Movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs) offer insight into motor preparation and execution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate atypical MRCPs in children with ADHD during motor tasks.
- To determine if MRCPs related to visual-motor integration (VMI) overlap with ADHD symptoms.
- To explore the etiological relationship between ADHD and motor control deficits.
Main Methods:
- Compared MRCPs and VMI in 66 children with ADHD and 30 typically developing (TD) children (ages 7-11).
- Measured MRCPs during button-press tasks.
- Assessed ADHD symptoms via caregiver reports.
Main Results:
- Children with ADHD exhibited lower task accuracy and VMI scores than TD children.
- ADHD diagnosis correlated with reduced MRCP amplitudes during movement preparation.
- ADHD symptom severity and reduced error trial MRCP amplitudes uniquely predicted VMI performance.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric ADHD is linked to atypical cortical activity during movement preparation.
- Motor execution and preparation involve distinct cortical processes in ADHD.
- Findings support a separate etiology for motor difficulties in ADHD, potentially requiring distinct interventions.
Objective:
Motor control difficulties are highly common in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), yet the etiology of this comorbidity remains unclear. We examined (1) whether children with ADHD have atypical movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs) during movement preparation and/or execution compared to typically developing (TD) children, and (2) whether MRCPs associated with visual-motor performance and ADHD symptoms overlap.
Methods:
MRCPs and visual-motor integration (VMI) were measured among 66 right-handed children with ADHD and 30 TD children (ages 7-11 years). Caregivers reported on ADHD symptoms. MRCPs were extracted over fronto-central scalp regions during two ERP tasks requiring button presses.
Results:
Children with ADHD had lower accuracy on MRCP tasks and reduced VMI scores, compared to TDs. ADHD diagnosis was associated with attenuated correct trial MRCP amplitudes at a fronto-midline electrode during movement preparation, but not execution. ADHD symptom severity and reduced error trial MRCP amplitudes each explained unique variance in VMI performance.
Conclusions:
Pediatric ADHD is associated with atypical cortical activity during movement preparation, but not execution. VMI performance and ADHD diagnosis were associated with distinct motor cortical processes, providing support for the separate etiology hypothesis.
Significance:
Motor difficulties in children with ADHD may require an intervention approach that is distinct from the treatment of core ADHD symptoms.
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