Topographic brain mapping as a diagnostic for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Sixteen channel topographic brain mapping of EEC in 25 nine to twelve year old right handed males with Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) revealed increased theta (4 to 7.75 Hz) and decreased beta 1 (12.75 to 21 Hz) compared with 27 matched controls. The differences were greater when subjects engaged in reading and drawing, and were decreased at rest during visual fixation. Although the differences in subjects with ADHD were generalized, increased theta was more prominent in frontal regions, while beta 1 was significantly decreased in temporal regions. When discriminant function analysis was applied, two principal components emerged which accounted for 82% of the total variance. The predictability of group membership for ADHD was 80%, and for the controls, 74%. These findings support the use of topographic EEG for further elucidation of the neurophysiology of ADHD.