Response Inhibition in Children With ADHD: A Time Domain and Time-Frequency Domain Analysis Study

Variations in performance during tasks investigating response inhibition have long been a focus of research in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) studies. While event-related potential (ERP) studies have provided some insights, results have been inconsistent, with conflicting findings reported. Moreover, research on event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) in this context is relatively scarce. In this study, behavioral performance, ERPs (N1, P2, N2, and P3; Ne and Pe), and ERSPs (delta and theta bands) data were collected from ADHD (n = 90) and typically developing (n = 62) children aged 6 to 13 years during a Go/No-Go task. In the correct-related No-Go condition, children with ADHD exhibited lower accuracy, smaller No-Go P3 amplitudes, and reduced delta-band synchronization compared to typically developing children. In the error-related No-Go condition, ADHD children showed reduced post-error slowing in Go response time and smaller Ne and Pe amplitudes than typically developing children. The atypical response inhibition observed in children with ADHD may arise from distinct neural activation patterns across the entire inhibitory control process, including perceptual encoding, response suppression, and error monitoring. This multistage neural profile highlights the need for comprehensive intervention strategies targeting the complete sequence of response inhibition processes.