Psychiatry Research
Volume 103, Issue 2 , Pages 205-218, 20 September 2001

Excess beta activity in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: an atypical electrophysiological group

  • Adam R. Clarke

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
    • ,
  • Robert J. Barry

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Tel.: +61-24221-3742; fax +61-24221-4914
    • Department of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
    • ,
  • Rory McCarthy

      Affiliations

    • Private Pediatric Practice, Sydney, Australia
    • ,
  • Mark Selikowitz

      Affiliations

    • Private Pediatric Practice, Sydney, Australia

Received 2 October 2000; received in revised form 24 May 2001; accepted 19 June 2001.

Abstract 

Studies of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have typically found elevated levels of slow wave activity in their EEGs, but in two of our previous studies, a small subset of ADHD children with excess beta activity in the EEG was identified. The aim of this study was to determine whether children with excess beta activity represent a distinct electrophysiological subtype of ADHD, to quantify the differences in their EEGs, and to determine if this group of children with ADHD have behavioural profiles different from other children with ADHD. Results indicated that children with excess beta represent a small independent subset of children diagnosed with ADHD, which primarily consists of children with a diagnosis of ADHD combined type. Behaviourally, this group was similar to other children with ADHD, although the excess-beta group were more prone to temper tantrums and to be moody. The excess in beta activity was found primarily in the frontal regions and may be associated with frontal lobe self-regulation and inhibition control.

Keywords:  Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, Children, EEG, Maturation

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PII: S0165-1781(01)00277-3

Psychiatry Research
Volume 103, Issue 2 , Pages 205-218, 20 September 2001

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