Differentiating Attentional Deficits in ADHD and mTBI Using Event-Related Potentials
Poster No:
289
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Jiaqin Lyu1, Qian Gu1, Xiaoqian Yu1, Jeffrey N. Epstein2,3, Megan E. Narad2,3
Institutions:
1Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 2Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA, 3Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Jeffrey Epstein
Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine|Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, OH, USA|Cincinnati, OH, USA
Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine|Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, OH, USA|Cincinnati, OH, USA
Megan Narad
Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine|Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, OH, USA|Cincinnati, OH, USA
Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine|Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, OH, USA|Cincinnati, OH, USA
Introduction:
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) are distinct conditions but share deficits in attention. This study examined whether event-related potential (ERP) components P3a and P3b could differentiate attentional deficits in children and teenagers with ADHD, mTBI, and neurotypical controls.
Since attention deficits (especially in automatic and controlled attention) are core features of the disorder, studying attention mechanisms in children and adolescents with ADHD is crucial. Research showed that children and adolescents with ADHD often exhibit reduced P3a and P3b amplitudes in oddball tasks, indicating impaired attention capture and resource allocation. Studies compared ADHD with a control group, using oddball tasks (two or three types of stimuli) (Jonkman et al., 1997; Frank et al., 1998; Johnstone et al., 2001; Salomone et al., 2020).
This study's significance lies in identifying reliable ERP markers (P3a and P3b) for differentiating ADHD and mTBI from neurotypical development, which can enhance diagnostic precision and inform targeted interventions for attentional deficits in these populations.
Since attention deficits (especially in automatic and controlled attention) are core features of the disorder, studying attention mechanisms in children and adolescents with ADHD is crucial. Research showed that children and adolescents with ADHD often exhibit reduced P3a and P3b amplitudes in oddball tasks, indicating impaired attention capture and resource allocation. Studies compared ADHD with a control group, using oddball tasks (two or three types of stimuli) (Jonkman et al., 1997; Frank et al., 1998; Johnstone et al., 2001; Salomone et al., 2020).
This study's significance lies in identifying reliable ERP markers (P3a and P3b) for differentiating ADHD and mTBI from neurotypical development, which can enhance diagnostic precision and inform targeted interventions for attentional deficits in these populations.
Methods:
Participants were 30 children with ADHD, 30 neurobehavioral typical children (aged 7-12, 37% female), and 41 teenagers with Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) (aged 9-18, 42% female). All 3 groups completed the 3-stimuli auditory oddball task with 320 frequent tones, 40 rare tones, and 40 novel tones while their EEG was recorded using 128-channel EEG net. In the task, sounds are presented at an average rate of 1 every 1.5 seconds. 80% of the sounds ("standard") are tones of repeating frequency and intensity, while 10% of sounds ("target") are tones of another frequency to which participants respond by pressing a button. The remaining 10% of sounds ("novel") are multi-frequency sounds, different for each trial. Participants responded to the rare tones by pressing a button. Orienting attention, P3a, was elicited by the novel tones; and attentional resource, P3b, was elicited by the rare tones. We hypothesize that children with ADHD will show a smaller P3a and P3b than the controls due to impaired attention.
Results:
By using ANOVA, researchers found that there was a main effect of Stimuli for P3a, F (2,122) = 19.75, p < .01, and P3b, F (2,122) = 19.75, p < .05. Specifically, P3a for novel is larger than P3a's for frequent and target (p < .001), while P3b for target is larger than P3b's for frequent (p < .001) and novel (p < .05).
There was a main effect of Stimuli for P3b, F (2,122) = 19.75, p < .05. P3b for target is larger than P3b's for frequent (p < .001) and novel (p < .05). There was a main effect of Group for P3b, F (2,61) = 10.16, p < .05. P3b in the mTBI group is smaller than that in the Control group (p < .001) and the ADHD group (p < .001). Moreover, there was a significant Group by Stimuli interaction effect, F (4,122) = 3.98, p < .05. The P3b elicited by target in the mTBI group is smaller than that in the Control group (p < .01) and the ADHD group (p < .01).
There was a main effect of Stimuli for P3b, F (2,122) = 19.75, p < .05. P3b for target is larger than P3b's for frequent (p < .001) and novel (p < .05). There was a main effect of Group for P3b, F (2,61) = 10.16, p < .05. P3b in the mTBI group is smaller than that in the Control group (p < .001) and the ADHD group (p < .001). Moreover, there was a significant Group by Stimuli interaction effect, F (4,122) = 3.98, p < .05. The P3b elicited by target in the mTBI group is smaller than that in the Control group (p < .01) and the ADHD group (p < .01).
·Grand Average ERPs at Frontal Electrode Site
·Grand Average ERPs at Parietal Electrode Site
Conclusions:
Notably, P3b amplitudes in response to target stimuli were significantly reduced in the mTBI group compared to both the control (p < .01) and ADHD groups (p < .01), suggesting that teenagers with mTBI exhibit lower attentional resource allocation. However, P3a and P3b did not significantly differ between the ADHD and control groups, indicating similar neural indices of orienting attention and attentional resource. These findings suggest that the current task may not sufficiently challenge attentional capacity, potentially masking ADHD-related deficits. Future studies should employ tasks with greater complexity to better capture the neural correlates of attentional deficits in ADHD.
Disorders of the Nervous System:
Neurodevelopmental/ Early Life (eg. ADHD, autism) 1
Higher Cognitive Functions:
Executive Function, Cognitive Control and Decision Making
Perception, Attention and Motor Behavior:
Attention: Auditory/Tactile/Motor 2
Keywords:
Other - ADHD, mTBI, Novelty Oddball Task, P3a, P3b
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
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Provide references using APA citation style.
Johnstone, S. J. et al. (2001). Topographic distribution and developmental timecourse of auditory event-related potentials in two subtypes of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 42(1), 73–94. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0167-8760(01)00135-0
Jonkman, L. M. et al. (1997). Event-related potentials and performance of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: Children and normal controls in auditory and visual selective attention tasks. Biological Psychiatry, 41(5), 595–611. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0006-3223(96)00073-x
Salomone, S. et al. (2020). Neuropsychological Deficits in Adult ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 24(10), 108705471562304. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054715623045