Event-related brain oscillations in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A systematic review and meta-analysis

Giorgia Michelini; Gevork Salmastyan; Juan Diego Vera; Agatha Lenartowicz

doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.01.014

Event-related brain oscillations in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A systematic review and meta-analysis

Int J Psychophysiol. 2022 Apr:174:29-42. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.01.014. Epub 2022 Feb 4.

Authors

Giorgia Michelini¹, Gevork Salmastyan², Juan Diego Vera³, Agatha Lenartowicz⁴

Affiliations

¹ Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, USA; Department of Biological and Experimental Psychology, Queen Mary University of London, UK. Electronic address: g.michelini@qmul.ac.uk.
² Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, USA.
³ Department of Psychology, University of California Los Angeles, USA.
⁴ Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, USA. Electronic address: alenarto@g.ucla.edu.

PMID: 35124111
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2022.01.014

Abstract

Previous studies have associated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with several alterations in electroencephalographic (EEG) activity. Time-frequency analyses capturing event-related power modulations are becoming an increasingly popular approach, but a systematic synthesis of the time-frequency literature in ADHD is currently lacking. We conducted the first systematic review and meta-analysis of time-frequency studies of children and adults with ADHD in comparison to neurotypical controls. Searches via Medline, Embase, and Web of Science, as well as reference lists, identified 28 eligible articles published until March 2021. Of these, 13 articles with relevant data were included in a multi-level meta-analysis. Most studies examined power modulations of alpha, theta and/or beta frequencies (N = 21/28), and focused on children (N = 17/28). Meta-analyses showed significantly weaker theta increases (Cohen's d = -0.25, p = 0.039; N_ADHD = 346, N_CONTROL = 327), alpha decreases (d = 0.44, p < 0.001; N_ADHD = 564, N_CONTROL = 450), and beta increases (Cohen's d = -0.33, p < 0.001; N_ADHD = 222, N_CONTROL = 263) in individuals with ADHD relative to controls. These patterns indicate broad brain-oscillatory alterations in individuals with ADHD with small (theta) and small-to-moderate (alpha and beta) effect sizes. These group differences were partly consistent when repeating analyses by age group (<18 and 18+ years) and task type (cognitive control, working memory, and simple attention tasks). Overall, our findings identify widespread event-related brain-oscillatory alterations in individuals with ADHD during a range of neurocognitive functions. Future research requires larger samples, a broader range of frequency bands (including delta and gamma) during a wider type of cognitive-affective processes, and should clarify whether atypical event-related power profiles are ADHD-specific or shared with other neuropsychiatric conditions.

Keywords: Adult; Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; Child; Electroencephalography (EEG); Event-related power; Time-frequency.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Attention / physiology
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity*
Brain
Child
Electroencephalography
Humans
Theta Rhythm / physiology