Relation between resting EEG to cognitive performance and clinical symptoms in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children is characterized by elevated levels of slow wave activity and reduced fast wave activity in resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG). In adults with ADHD, resting-state EEG findings are scarce and inconsistent. The present study examined whether the disparate findings are due EEG recording conditions (i.e., eyes-open vs. eyes-closed). A second goal of the current study was to assess relations between EEG spectral indices to performance measures obtained using a stop-signal task, and to behavioral ADHD symptoms. The present study included 24 adults with ADHD and 24 control adults. The EEG results showed a greater reduction in alpha power from eyes-closed to eyes-open (i.e., alpha attenuation) in ADHD compared to controls. In addition, theta/beta ratio was negatively correlated to the speed of responding to choice stimuli. These findings were interpreted vis-à-vis a biophysical model assuming that the hypo-arousal in ADHD is due to an overdrive of the nucleus coeruleus resulting in inhibitory activity of the thalamic reticular nucleus. (c) 2009. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.