Electrophysiological correlates of response inhibition in children and adolescents with ADHD: influence of gender, age, and previous treatment history

Psychophysiology. 2007 Nov;44(6):936-48. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2007.00568.x. Epub 2007 Jul 30.

Abstract

Deficits in response inhibition may be at the core of the cognitive syndrome in ADHD. Here, inhibitory control mechanisms were studied in 36 ADHD-combined type and 30 healthy children by exploring the event-related brain activity during the Stop Signal task. The influence of age, gender, and previous treatment history was evaluated. The ADHD group showed reduced N200 wave amplitudes. For successful inhibitions, the N200 reduction was greatest over right inferior frontal scalp, and only the control group showed a success-related enhancement of such right frontal N200. Source analysis identified a source of the N200 group effect in right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Finally, a late positive wave to failed inhibitions was selectively reduced only in treatment-naïve ADHD children, suggesting that chronic stimulants may normalize late conscious error recognition. Both effects were independent of gender and age.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aging / psychology
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / drug therapy*
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / physiopathology*
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants / adverse effects
  • Central Nervous System Stimulants / therapeutic use*
  • Child
  • Cohort Studies
  • Electroencephalography
  • Electrophysiology
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / drug effects
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intelligence
  • Male
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Psychomotor Performance / drug effects
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology
  • Reactive Inhibition
  • Sex Characteristics

Substances

  • Central Nervous System Stimulants