Behavioral and cognitive correlates of the aperiodic (1/f-like) exponent of the EEG power spectrum in adolescents with and without ADHD

Efficient information processing facilitates cognition and may be disrupted in a number of neurodevelopmental conditions. And yet, the role of inefficient information processing and its neural underpinnings remains poorly understood. In the current study, we examined the cognitive and behavioral correlates of the aperiodic exponent of the electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectrum, a putative marker of disrupted, inefficient neural communication, in a sample of adolescents with and without ADHD (n = 184 n(ADHD) = 87; M-age = 13.95 years, SD = 1.36). Exponents were calculated via FOOOF (Donoghue et al., 2020a) from EEG data recorded during an 8 minute baseline episode. Reaction time speed and variability, as well as drift diffusion parameters (including the drift rate parameter, a cognitive parameter directly related to inefficient information processing) were calculated. Adolescents with ADHD had smaller aperiodic exponents (a ?flattened? EEG power spectrum) relative to their typically-developing peers. After controlling for ADHD, aperiodic exponents were related to reaction time variability and the drift rate parameter, but not in the expected direction. Our findings lend support for the aperiodic exponent as a neural correlate of disrupted information processing, and provide insight into the role of cortical excitation/inhibition imbalance in the pathophysiology of ADHD.

Automated summary

Efficient information processing is crucial for cognition, and disruptions in it may be seen in neurodevelopmental conditions. This study explores the cognitive and behavioral implications of aperiodic exponent in EEG power spectrum, indicating disrupted neural communication, in adolescents with and without ADHD. The findings suggest that aperiodic exponents are related to reaction time variability and drift rate parameter, supporting its role as a neural correlate of disrupted information processing.