Diagnosis of ADHD - Detection of Brain Waves may Conducive


Brief: The cause of ADHD, one of the most common developmental disorders diagnosed in children, isn't known.The researchers said ERP could be a useful tool in identifying cognitive abnormalities in ADHD children.

The cause of ADHD, one of the most common developmental disorders diagnosed in children, isn't known.

Researchers recorded irregular brain-wave patterns in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, suggesting physiological abnormalities may be behind the condition, according to a report in Pediatrics and Neonatology.

The study in Taiwan compared electrical brain activity in 50 children with ADHD and 51 controls during a test called Event-Related Potentials (ERP), which is used to study neurological disorders. The children, including 82 boys and 19 girls ranging in age from 6 to 13, were divided into four age groups for testing. None of the participants took ADHD medications.

During the test, electrodes placed at specific sites on the scalp measured brain responses to 200 tones delivered at random sequences through earphones. When the children heard rare or odd-sounding tones, they pressed a button or counted the tones. The test was repeated twice for each participant.

Results showed significant differences in the brain activity of ADHD children compared with the control subjects in regions of the brain associated with processing tasks requiring attention, processing speed, behavioral inhibition and control, and central nervous system hyperexcitability.

The researchers said ERP could be a useful tool in identifying cognitive abnormalities in ADHD children.

* Originally Posted: Top Diagnosis