Differences in feedback- and inhibition-related neural activity in adult ADHD

• DOI: 10.1016/j.bandc.2009.01.001
• Publication Date: 2009-02-08T09:10:54Z
• Authors: Pauline Dibbets; Lisbeth Evers; Petra Hurks; Natalie Marchetta; Jelle Jolles
• Keywords: Adult; Male; Analysis of Variance; Brain Mapping; Brain; Neuropsychological Tests; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Feedback; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; Cognition; 0302 clinical medicine; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Surveys and Questionnaires; Impulsive Behavior; Task Performance and Analysis; Linear Models; Reaction Time; Humans; Attention

The objective of this study was to examine response inhibition- and feedback-related neural activity in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using event-related functional MRI. Sixteen male adults with ADHD and 13 healthy/normal controls participated in this study and performed a modified Go/NoGo task. Behaviourally, attention and inhibition problems in the ADHD group were observed; no feedback-related differences between the groups were detected. The neuroimaging data showed that the ADHD group displayed more activation in the inferior frontal gyrus and putamen during response inhibition. During feedback-related processes, the ADHD group displayed less activation in the inferior frontal/orbitofrontal cortex, hippocampus/nucleus accumbens, and caudate nucleus, but more activity in the inferior frontal gyrus. These results indicate that at least two distinguishable underlying brain networks related to response inhibition and feedback are altered in adults with ADHD.