Executive dysfunction in medication-naïve children with ADHD: A multi-modal fNIRS and EEG study

Yoshimi Kaga; Riyo Ueda; Miho Tanaka; Yosuke Kita; Kota Suzuki; Yasuko Okumura; Yuka Egashira; Yuka Shirakawa; Shota Mitsuhashi; Yuzuki Kitamura; Eiji Nakagawa; Yushiro Yamashita; Masumi Inagaki

doi:10.1016/j.braindev.2020.05.007

Executive dysfunction in medication-naïve children with ADHD: A multi-modal fNIRS and EEG study

Brain Dev. 2020 Sep;42(8):555-563. doi: 10.1016/j.braindev.2020.05.007. Epub 2020 Jun 10.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-cho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan; Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi 409-3898, Japan. Electronic address: yoshi3st@ncnp.go.jp.
² Department of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-cho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan.
³ Department of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-cho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan; Cognitive Brain Research Unit (CBRU), Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 3 Haartmaninkatu, Helsinki 00290, Finland.
⁴ Department of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-cho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan; Faculty of Education, Shitennoji University, 3-2-1 Gakuenmae, Habikino, Osaka 583-8501, Japan.
⁵ Department of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-cho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Research Fellow, Kojimachi Business Center Building, 5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan.
⁶ Department of Developmental Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-cho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8553, Japan; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Research Fellow, Kojimachi Business Center Building, 5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-0083, Japan; Graduate School of Design, Kyushu University, 4-9-1, Shiobaru Minami-ku, Fukuoka 815-8540, Japan.
⁷ Department of Child Neurology, National Center Hospital, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi-cho, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan.
⁸ Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, 67 Asahimachi, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0011, Japan.

PMID: 32532641
DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2020.05.007

Abstract

Objective: Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit deficits in executive function. Since there are no clear biomarkers for the disorder, this study aimed to investigate the neurophysiological biomarkers for deficits in executive function in children with ADHD using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and electroencephalography.

Methods: Twenty patients diagnosed with ADHD and 19 typically developing children (TDC; 8-11 years old) were included. Event related potentials (ERPs) were recorded using an electroencephalogram (EEG) and oxygenated hemoglobin concentrations (Oxy-Hb) were recorded using fNIRS during a colored Go/NoGo task, simultaneously. Latencies and amplitudes of NoGo-N2 and NoGo/Go-P3 tasks were measured using EEG.

Results: Children with ADHD showed significantly decreased Oxy-Hb in the right frontal cortex as well as longer NoGo-P3 latencies and a decreased NoGo/Go-P3 amplitude. There was a significant positive correlation between the Oxy-Hb and NoGo/Go-P3 amplitude.

Conclusions: These results suggest that children with ADHD experience executive dysfunction. Hemodynamic and electrophysiological findings during the Go/NoGo task might be useful as a biomarker of executive function.

Significance: These findings have key implications for understanding the pathophysiology of deficits in executive function in ADHD.

Keywords: ADHD; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Event related potential; Executive functions; Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS); Go/NoGo task.

MeSH terms

Attention / physiology
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology*
Child
Electroencephalography / methods*
Evoked Potentials / physiology
Executive Function / physiology*
Female
Frontal Lobe / physiopathology
Humans
Impulsive Behavior / physiology
Male
Neuropsychological Tests
Oxyhemoglobins / metabolism
Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / methods*

Substances

Oxyhemoglobins