Prefrontal abnormality in children with adhd during cognitive interference control : a functional nirs study

Aim: Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show cognitive impairments such as disrupted attention and impaired learning and memory. The multi-source interference task (MSIT) combines multiple dimensions of cognitive interference and recruits the cingulo-frontal-parietal cognitive/attention network. The aim of this study was to determine whether children with ADHD show fronto-parietal dysfunction during the MSIT by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). Methods: Nineteen boys with ADHD and 14 age- and IQ-matched controls were studied. We measured oxygenated hemoglobin concentration ([oxy-Hb]) changes in the fronto-parietal region by using a 46-channel functional NIRS imaging system. The behavioral performance and mean [oxy-Hb] of the two groups during the MSIT were compared.Results: The behavioral data of the MSIT were not significantly different between the two groups. Compared to the control group, the ADHD group showed higher [oxy-Hb] changes in the left dorsolateral prefrontal region (ADHD, 0.17 × 10^-1 ±0.11

attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

hemodynamic response

multi-source interference

near-infrared spectroscopy