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Preliminary fMRI findings on the effects of event rate in adults with ADHD

  • Biological Child and Adolescent Psychiatry - Original Article
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Abstract

Inhibition problems in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are sensitive to stimulus event rate. This pilot study explores the neural basis of this increased susceptibility to event rate in ADHD. Event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging was used in conjunction with the administration of a fast (1.5 s) and a slow (7 s) Go/No-Go task. Brain activity patterns and reaction times of ten young male adults with ADHD (two of whom were in partial remission) and ten healthy male controls were compared. The ADHD group responded slower than controls with greater variability but with similar number of errors. Accurate response inhibition in the ADHD group in the slow condition was associated with widespread fronto-striatal activation, including the thalamus. For correct Go trials only, the ADHD group compared with controls showed substantial under-activation in the slow condition. The observed abnormal brain activation in the slow condition in adults with ADHD supports a fronto-striatal etiology, and underlines a presumed activation regulation deficit. Larger sample sizes to further validate these preliminary findings are needed.

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Acknowledgments

Many thanks to Dr. Leo Vroman for critically reviewing the manuscript. We also thank the Foothills Academy for giving us the opportunity to recruit among their alumni.

Conflict of interest statement

There is no conflict of interest for any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Behavioral Research Unit, Department of Pediatrics, Alberta Children’s Hospital, University of Calgary, 2888 Shaganappi Trail NW, Calgary, AB, T3B 6A8, Canada

    Libbe Kooistra, Bonnie J. Kaplan & Susan Crawford

  2. Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

    Jaap J. van der Meere

  3. Seaman Family MR Research Centre, The Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Jodi D. Edwards & Bradley G. Goodyear

  4. Departments of Radiology and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Bradley G. Goodyear

  5. Foothills Academy, Calgary, AB, Canada

    Libbe Kooistra

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  1. Libbe Kooistra
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  2. Jaap J. van der Meere
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  3. Jodi D. Edwards
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  4. Bonnie J. Kaplan
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  5. Susan Crawford
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  6. Bradley G. Goodyear
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Correspondence to Libbe Kooistra.

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Kooistra, L., van der Meere, J.J., Edwards, J.D. et al. Preliminary fMRI findings on the effects of event rate in adults with ADHD. J Neural Transm 117, 655–662 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-010-0374-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00702-010-0374-y

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