Department of Pediatrics, Cheng-Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Pediatr Neonatol. 2012 Apr;53(2):118-24. doi: 10.1016/j.pedneo.2012.01.009. Epub 2012 Mar 2.
Recording of event-related potentials (ERPs) from the scalp is a noninvasive technique reflecting the sensory and cognitive processes associated with attention tasks. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a disorder involving deficits in attention and behavioral control. The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in ERPs between normal children and those with ADHD.
We examined 50 children with ADHD and 51 age-matched controls. All children with ADHD met the full criteria for ADHD according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV). The auditory oddball paradigm was applied, and event-related long-latency components (N1, P2, N2 and P3) from Fz, Cz and Pz were measured in each test subject.
Children with ADHD showed a significantly longer latency and a lower amplitude of P3 compared to normal control children (p < 0.01). Delayed N2 latency at the Pz electrode was shown in children with ADHD compared to normal controls (p < 0.01). No differences in other ERP indices were found between children with ADHD and controls. When divided into four age groups, the latency of P3 was significantly increased in all age groups and a significantly smaller amplitude in P3 over the central region was found in children with ADHD > 10 years of age (p < 0.05).
We found that the endogenous ERPs (P3 and N2) were significantly affected in children with ADHD, compared to exogenous ERPs (N1 and P2). Increased latency of P3 suggests a slower processing speed, and decreased P3 amplitude is interpreted as disruption of inhibitory control in children with ADHD. These results indicate a neurocognitive abnormality in ADHD, as presented by a reduction in ERP response.
头皮记录事件相关电位（ERPs）是一种非侵入性技术，反映与注意任务相关的感觉和认知过程。注意缺陷多动障碍（ADHD）是一种涉及注意力和行为控制缺陷的疾病。本研究旨在探讨正常儿童与 ADHD 儿童之间 ERP 的差异。
我们检查了 50 名 ADHD 儿童和 51 名年龄匹配的对照组。所有 ADHD 儿童均符合精神障碍诊断与统计手册第四版（DSM-IV）的 ADHD 全部标准。应用听觉Oddball 范式，测量每位受试者 Fz、Cz 和 Pz 处的事件相关长潜伏期成分（N1、P2、N2 和 P3）。
与正常对照组儿童相比，ADHD 儿童的 P3 潜伏期明显延长，振幅明显降低（p < 0.01）。与正常对照组相比，ADHD 儿童 Pz 电极的 N2 潜伏期延迟（p < 0.01）。ADHD 儿童与对照组在其他 ERP 指标上无差异。当分为四个年龄组时，所有年龄组的 P3 潜伏期均显著增加，10 岁以上 ADHD 儿童中央区域的 P3 振幅明显减小（p < 0.05）。
与外源性 ERP（N1 和 P2）相比，我们发现 ADHD 儿童的内源性 ERP（P3 和 N2）明显受到影响。P3 潜伏期延长提示处理速度较慢，P3 振幅降低提示 ADHD 儿童抑制控制中断。这些结果表明 ADHD 存在神经认知异常，表现为 ERP 反应减少。
