Abstract
Preterm birth has been associated with an increased risk for ADHD-like behavioural symptoms and cognitive impairments. However, direct comparisons across ADHD and preterm-born samples on neurophysiological measures are limited. The aim of this analysis was to test whether quantitative EEG (QEEG) measures identify differences or similarities in preterm-born adolescents, compared to term-born adolescents with and without ADHD, during resting-state and cognitive task conditions. We directly compared QEEG activity between 186 preterm-born adolescents, 69 term-born adolescents with ADHD and 135 term-born control adolescents during an eyes-open resting-state condition (EO), which previously discriminated between the adolescents with ADHD and controls, and during a cued continuous performance task (CPT-OX). Absolute delta power was the only frequency range to demonstrate a significant group-by-condition interaction. The preterm group, like the ADHD group, displayed significantly higher delta power during EO, compared to the control group. In line with these findings, parent-rated ADHD symptoms in the preterm group were significantly correlated with delta power during rest. While the preterm and control groups did not differ with regard to absolute delta power during CPT-OX, the ADHD group showed significantly higher absolute delta power compared to both groups. Our results provide evidence for overlapping excess in the absolute delta range in preterm-born adolescents and term-born adolescents with ADHD during rest. During CPT-OX, preterm-born adolescents resembled controls. Increased delta power during rest may be a potential general marker of brain trauma, pathology or neurotransmitter disturbances.
Highlights
Preterm births, denoting births before 37 completed weeks of gestation [1], constitute 8.6% of births in the developed world [2]
In this study investigating the relationship of EEG indices of cortical activity in preterm-born adolescents, term-born adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and term-born controls, the preterm group showed higher absolute delta power compared to controls during the resting-state condition, as observed in the ADHD group [12]
No significant differences emerged between the preterm and ADHD groups at rest
Summary
Preterm births, denoting births before 37 completed weeks of gestation [1], constitute 8.6% of births in the developed world [2]. One meta-analysis demonstrated that preterm-born children (n = 1556) were at heightened risk (relative risk, RR 2.64) of developing ADHD relative to controls (n = 1720) [6]. A cognitive profile that resembles that of individuals with ADHD, including impairments in attention and inhibitory control, is frequently associated with preterm birth [8, 9]. It is unclear whether the symptoms and cognitive impairments seen in preterm-born individuals are identical to those associated with ADHD or whether they are part of more wide-ranging impairments
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