Understanding The Association Between 24-hour Time-use Composition And Neuroelectric Function In Preadolescent Children With ADHD

PURPOSE: The health benefits of regular physical activity (PA) during childhood are well-documented, with widespread benefits including improved brain health, especially among children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) who typically struggle with attention and inhibitory control. The present study aims to understand how ADHD symptoms moderate the association between 24 hr time-use composition of PA, and neuroelectric indices of inhibitory control using electroencephalography (EEG). METHODS: 43 preadolescent children (ADHD = 15; Neurotypical = 28; F = 28; ages 8.81 ± 2.06 years) participated in a cross-sectional design. Assessments included demographics, 24-hour time-use composition obtained by Actigraph accelerometry (sleep, sedentary time, light PA, and moderate-to-vigorous PA), ADHD Rating Scale IV, BMI percentile, and neuroelectric function via P3 event-related potentials (ERP) on a Go/NoGo Task. Regressions on neuroelectric function of inhibitory control using isometric log-ratio coordinates of time-use PA compositional data, moderated by ADHD symptoms, and adjusted for covariates (BMI percentile accounting for age and sex, puberty, and household income) were used at three regions of interest (ROI) of the EEG topographic signal (frontal, middle, and parietal). RESULTS: For the non-target Go task, significant R2 changes were observed for P3 amplitude at the frontal (adj R2 = 0.43, p < 0.001), middle (adj R2 = 0.21, p = 0.04), and parietal ROIs (adj R2 = 0.31, p = 0.01). This indicated the significant regressed interaction between time-use PA composition and inhibitory P3 amplitude at three ROIs during attentional allocation tasks. There was no significant regressed interaction between time-use PA composition and inhibitory P3 amplitude at three ROIs in the NoGo Task. Non-significant R2 changes for the P3 amplitude are reported for frontal (adj R2 = 0.17, p = 0.13), middle (adj R2 = 0.11, p = 0.19), and parietal ROIs (adj R2 = 0.16, p = 0.13). CONCLUSIONS: ADHD symptoms moderate the relationship between 24 hr PA time-use composition and attentional responses in preadolescent children, especially at frontal EEG ROIs. Future work should understand the directionality and temporal effect of 24-hr PA time-use behavior on inhibitory response in childhood ADHD with a larger sample size. Supported by: Rhode Island Foundation Medical Research Grant