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Visual slow brain potentials in children with attention deficit disorder
J E Newton1, D M Oglesby, P T Ackerman
1Psychophysiological Laboratory, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock 72202-3591.
Insights
Children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) show distinct brain activity differences, particularly in slow wave brain potentials, during reward-based tasks. These findings highlight potential neural markers for attentional challenges in ADD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder.
- Previous research suggests differences in brain activity between children with ADD and controls.
- Slow wave brain potentials (ERPs) are sensitive measures of cognitive processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in slow wave brain potentials (ERPs) between children with ADD and normal controls.
- To examine the impact of reward conditions (contingent vs. noncontingent) on ERPs in these groups.
- To identify ERP markers associated with aggressive and hyperactive subtypes of ADD.
Main Methods:
- A two-stimulus reaction time paradigm was employed.
- Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to record slow wave brain potentials (ERPs).
- 144 children with ADD and 30 normal control children participated across contingent and noncontingent reward conditions.
Main Results:
- Group differences in ERPs were observed specifically during the contingent reward condition.
- Aggressive hyperactive ADD subjects showed greater fronto-central and right parietal negativity compared to nonaggressive subjects.
- All ADD subgroups exhibited greater slow wave negativity at the occipital electrode site during contingent reward compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Slow wave brain potential differences are linked to attentional problems in children with ADD.
- Findings support a psychobiological model of inhibition/disinhibition and appetitive activation.
- ERPs during contingent reward tasks may serve as indicators of attentional deficits in ADD.
Abstract:
Using a two-stimulus reaction time paradigm, with two separate reward conditions (contingent and noncontingent), we compared slow wave brain potentials (ERPs) in 144 children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and 30 normal control children. This article reviews the findings during the 900 msec visual warning stimulus. As we had expected, based on ERP work of Forth and Hare (1989) and Raine, Venables and Williams (1990), and on previous work from our own laboratory, the group differences were found in the negative slow wave portions of the ERP complex during the contingent reward condition but not during the noncontingent condition. Aggressive hyperactive subjects with attention deficit disorder (ADDHA) were discriminated from nonaggressive subjects (including control subjects) during the contingent reward condition in the following ways: (1) greater fronto-central negativity (640-900 msec slow wave) and (2) greater right parietal than left parietal negativity (430-750 msec slow wave). All ADD subgroups, when compared to control (CONTR) subjects, showed greater slow wave negativity (700-900 msec) at the midline occipital electrode site during the contingent reward condition. This could be explained in part as an IQ effect on ERPs reflecting the IQ difference between the ADD subgroups and the controls. These slow wave findings seem to relate to attentional problems of these children. They are discussed in terms of a psychobiological model of inhibition/disinhibition and appetitive activation.