Resting-State Neurophysiological Activity Patterns in Young People with ASD, ADHD, and ASD + ADHD

Elizabeth Shephard; Charlotte Tye; Karen L Ashwood; Bahar Azadi; Philip Asherson; Patrick F Bolton; Grainne McLoughlin

doi:10.1007/s10803-017-3300-4

Resting-State Neurophysiological Activity Patterns in Young People with ASD, ADHD, and ASD + ADHD

J Autism Dev Disord. 2018 Jan;48(1):110-122. doi: 10.1007/s10803-017-3300-4.

Authors

Elizabeth Shephard^{1

2}, Charlotte Tye^{3

4}, Karen L Ashwood⁵, Bahar Azadi⁶, Philip Asherson⁷, Patrick F Bolton^{7

6}, Grainne McLoughlin⁷

Affiliations

¹ MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK. elizabeth.1.shephard@kcl.ac.uk.
² Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK. elizabeth.1.shephard@kcl.ac.uk.
³ MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK. charlotte.tye@kcl.ac.uk.
⁴ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK. charlotte.tye@kcl.ac.uk.
⁵ Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, UK.
⁶ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
⁷ MRC Social, Genetic and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK.

Abstract

Altered power of resting-state neurophysiological activity has been associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which commonly co-occur. We compared resting-state neurophysiological power in children with ASD, ADHD, co-occurring ASD + ADHD, and typically developing controls. Children with ASD (ASD/ASD + ADHD) showed reduced theta and alpha power compared to children without ASD (controls/ADHD). Children with ADHD (ADHD/ASD + ADHD) displayed decreased delta power compared to children without ADHD (ASD/controls). Children with ASD + ADHD largely presented as an additive co-occurrence with deficits of both disorders, although reduced theta compared to ADHD-only and reduced delta compared to controls suggested some unique markers. Identifying specific neurophysiological profiles in ASD and ADHD may assist in characterising more homogeneous subgroups to inform treatment approaches and aetiological investigations.

Keywords: ADHD; ASD; Co-occurring ASD + ADHD; EEG; Resting-state; Spectral power.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / epidemiology*
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / physiopathology*
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology
Autism Spectrum Disorder / epidemiology*
Autism Spectrum Disorder / physiopathology*
Autism Spectrum Disorder / psychology
Brain Waves / physiology
Child
Electroencephalography / methods
Electroencephalography / psychology
Electroencephalography / trends*
Humans
Male
Rest / physiology*
Rest / psychology

Abstract

MeSH terms

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