Quantitative electroencephalography in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and healthy children: Behavioral and age correlates

This pilot study aimed to identify quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) biomarkers for children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We examined whether qEEG power correlates with the behavioral symptoms. We included 89 children with ADHD and 77 healthy children as a control group. We conducted EEG spectral analysis in the eyes-closed and eyes-opened conditions and compared the findings with a normative database (Human Brain Index). We measured behavioral parameters by using scales proposed by Barkley. The findings revealed an age-dependent decrease in qEEG power in children with ADHD. We found significant discrimination between children with ADHD and healthy children in the theta/beta ratio and theta activity in the frontal area. We found a notable increasing trend in beta activity across two age groups (6-10 years and > 10 years). Correlation analysis showed an association between qEEG power and hyperactivity in younger children with ADHD, while theta activity in the frontal region correlated positively with hyperactivity. The qEEG power of children with ADHD decreased gradually as age increased, and these changes were related to their symptoms. This pilot study suggests that qEEG differences between children with ADHD and healthy children may serve as a sensitive diagnostic tool, depending on the child's age. Further research building upon these findings could deepen our understanding of ADHD and its neural correlates.