Altered temporal organization of neural response dynamics during attention processing differentiates ADHD subtypes in
Yanan Zhang1, Tongxia Li2, Jun Jiang3
1School of Medicine, Jianghan University, Wuhan, China; Division of Child Healthcare, Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Background:
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) shows marked heterogeneity, and conventional event-related potential (ERP) measures have limited sensitivity to subtype differences. This study examined whether alterations in the temporal organization of neural responses during attentional processing differentiate ADHD subtypes.
Methods:
Children with predominantly inattentive ADHD (ADHD-I), combined-type ADHD (ADHD-C), and typically developing (TD) controls completed an auditory oddball task during electroencephalography. Neural responses were analyzed using time-resolved scalp topographies, low-dimensional neural trajectory analysis, and data-driven neural state modeling. Associations with clinical symptoms were examined.
Results:
Both ADHD subtypes showed altered temporal alignment of neural responses relative to TD children, particularly during target processing. Neural trajectories exhibited reduced differentiation between standard and target stimuli, with ADHD-I showing reduced trajectory separation and ADHD-C showing exaggerated but inefficient state excursions. Data-driven analyses further revealed subtype-specific alterations in neural state stability and transitions, which showed exploratory associations with attentional and behavioral impairment.
Conclusions:
ADHD is characterized by disrupted temporal organization of neural responses that is not captured by conventional ERP measures. Subtype-specific neural dynamics provide a mechanistic account of ADHD heterogeneity.
