Sleep-like Slow Waves During Wakefulness Mediate Attention and Vigilance Difficulties in Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #Slow Waves
- #ADHD
- #Attention
- ADHD is characterized by behavioral variability, inattention, mind wandering (MW), and mind blanking (MB).
- Individuals with ADHD often experience sleep disorders and daytime sleepiness, suggesting a link between attention and arousal systems.
- Sleep-like slow waves (SW) during wakefulness are associated with inattention in neurotypical individuals after sleep deprivation, but their role in ADHD was unclear.
- This study compared adults with ADHD (n=32) and neurotypical controls (n=31) during a sustained attention task with EEG recordings and mental state probes.
- ADHD participants showed more commission errors, MW, MB, theta oscillations, and higher SW density over parieto-temporal electrodes.
- Increased SW density correlated with higher omission errors, slower reaction times (RT), greater RT variability, and elevated sleepiness.
- Mediation analysis found SW density significantly accounted for ADHD-related attentional difficulties.
- Wake SW may provide a mechanistic link between sleep disturbances and attentional fluctuations in ADHD.