Event related potentials study of aberrations in voice control mechanisms in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Objective: The present study was designed to test for neural signs of impulsivity related to voice motor control in young adults with ADHD using EEG recordings in a voice pitch perturbation paradigm.

Methods: Two age-matched groups of young adults were presented with brief pitch shifts of auditory feedback during vocalization. Compensatory behavioral and corresponding bioelectrical brain responses were elicited by the pitch-shifted voice feedback.

Results: The analysis of bioelectrical responses showed that the ADHD group had shorter peak latency and onset time of motor-related bioelectrical brain responses as compared to the controls.

Conclusions: These results were interpreted to suggest differences in executive functions between ADHD and control participants.

Significance: We hypothesize that more rapid motor-related bioelectrical responses found in the present study may be a manifestation of impulsiveness in adults with ADHD at the involuntary level of voice control.

Keywords: ADHD; ERP; Executive functions; Impulsiveness; Voice control.