Table 1.
Alpha band power findings in ADHD
| First Author | Year | N (ADHD, Con) |
Age Grp |
Task | Frequency band (Hz) |
Measure | Region | Alpha in ADHD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resting State | ||||||||
| Poil (20) | 2014 | 48, 68 | CH, AD | EC | 8–13 | S, MF | F, F/P | CH: higher pow; AD: lower MF |
| Koehler (25) | 2009 | 34, 34 | AD | EC | 7.5–12.5 | PD | C, P | Higher PD |
| Bresnahan (23) | 2002 | 50, 100 | AD | EO | 8–12 | S | P | Higher pow |
| Chabot (24) | 1996 | 407, 310 | CH | EC | 8–12 | S, Coh, MF | F, C | Higher pow w/ 1. normal MF (46%), 2. lower MF (30%) |
| van Dongen-Boomsma (30) | 2010 | 24, 24 | AD | EO, EC | 8–12 | S, PF | P | ND in pow or PF. Greater decrease from EC to EO. |
| Bresnahan (27) | 2006 | 50, 50 | AD | EO | 8–12 | S | -- | ND |
| Hermens (28) | 2004 | 36, 36 | AD | EC | 8–12 | S | -- | ND |
| Bresnahan (26) | 1999 | 75, 75 | CH, AD | EO | 8–12 | S | -- | ND |
| Pomoerov (38) | 2014 | 96, 376 | AD | EO, EC | 8–12 | S | F, C | Lower pow |
| Woltering (37) | 2012 | 18, 17 | AD | EO, EC | 8–12 | S | F, C, P | Lower pow |
| Barry (31) | 2009 | 30, 30 | CH | EC | 8–12 | S | G | Lower pow |
| Magee (35) | 2005 | 253, 67 | CH | EC | 8–12 | S | F, P | Lower pow |
| Clarke (32) | 2001 | 160, 80 | CH | EC | 8–12 | S | P | Low pow in boys and older CH, ND is girls and younger CH |
| Nazari (36) | 2011 | 16, 16 | CH | EO, CPT | 8–12 | S | G | Lower pow resting, higher pow CPT |
| Loo (29) | 2010 | 384, 147 | CH, AD | EO, EC, CPT | 8–12 | S | P | Lower pow in adults ADHD-C vs ADHD-I & Cons. CH: ND |
| Loo (34) | 2009 | 38, 42 | AD | EO,EC, CPT | 8–12 | S | F,P | Lower pow all conditions |
| El Sayed (33) | 2002 | 36, 63 | CH | EO, CPT | 8–12.5 | S | G | Lower pow all conditions |
| Hale (68) | 2009 | 29, 62 | AD | EC, CPT | 8–10, 10–12 | Lat | P | Greater R lat all conditions |
| Baving (150) | 1999 | 47, 70 | CH | EO | 8–10 | Lat | F | Greater R lat-boys, L lat-girls |
| Task | ||||||||
| Lenartowicz (53) | 2016 | 8, 13 | CH | SWM | 8–12 | ERD/ERI | P | Less ERD |
| Hasler (64) | 2016 | 21, 20 | AD | Flanker | 8–13 | ERD/ERI | P | Less ERD to cue/target |
| Lenartowicz (120) | 2014 | 52, 47 | CH | SWM | 8–12 | ERD/ERI | P | Less ERD for LL, not HL |
| Mazaheri (58) | 2014 | 34, 23 | CH | Cued flanker | 8–12 | ERD/ERI, CP | P | Less ERD in ADHD-I; weak CP with frontal TH |
| Missonnier (65) | 2013 | 15, 15 | AD | N-back | 9–15 | ERD/ERI | F | Less ERD then higher ERI, esp LL vs HL |
| Yordanova (61) | 2013 | 14, 14 | CH | EC, aud sel attn | 8–12 | ERD/ERI, S | MC | Greater ERD in left MC to non-target; Resting: ND |
| Mazaheri (57) | 2010 | 14, 11 | CH | Cued vis attn | 8–12 | ERD/ERI, CP | P | Less ERD in ADHD; no FP CP |
| Gomarus (63) | 2009 | 15, 15, 15 PDD | CH | Vis sel mem | 8–12 | ERD/ERI | P | ND in ERD; ADHD is Hyp/Imp type |
| Heinrich (62) | 2014 | 24, 19 | CH | Flanker | 7.5–12.5 | S | P | Higher pow on no cue trials |
| ter Huurne (67) | 2017 | 17, 18 | AD | VS attn | 8–12 | Lat | MC | MEG. No typical lateralization |
| Vollebregt (60) | 2016 | 30, 30 | CH | VS attn | 8–12 | Lat | P | MEG. No typical lateralization |
| ter Huurne (66) | 2013 | 17, 18 | AD | VS atten | 9–12 | Lat | P | MEG. Initial lat not sustained |
Note. All studies are EEG results unless noted. ADHD=Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder; ADHD-I=Inattentive; ADHD-C=Combined; Hyp/Imp=Hyperactive/ Impulsive; Con=control; Grp=group; Hz=hertz; CH=child; AD=adult; EC=eyes closed; EO=eyes open; CPT=continuous performance test; SWM=spatial working memory; Aud=auditory; Vis=visual; VS=visual-spatial; sel=selective; attn=attention; S=spectrum (power); MF=mean frequency i.e., frequency above and below which half the alpha band power lies); PD=power density; Coh=coherence (i.e., correspondence of alpha phase or magnitude between two channels or regions); PF=peak frequency (i.e., frequency between 8–12 Hz with the highest power); Lat=laterality (i.e., power difference between hemispheres); ERD=event related decrease; ERI=event related increase; CP=coupling; F=Frontal; C=Central; P=Posterior; MC=motor cortex; G=Global; Pow=power; ND=No difference; R=right; L=left; LL=low load; HL=high load, TH=theta; MEG=Magnetoencephalography