This study investigated deficits of spatial working memory in college students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits using event-related potentials (ERPs) and the spatial 2-back task. We also computed sensory-level activity using EEG data and investigated theta and alpha neural oscillations, phase-locking values (PLV), and brain networks. Based on the scores from the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) and Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales (CAARS), an ADHD-trait group (n = 40) and a normal control group (n = 41) were selected. Participants were required to respond to whether the presented stimulus was at the same location as that presented two trials earlier. The ADHD-trait group showed significantly slower response times than the control group in the spatial 2-back task. In terms of spectrum, the ADHD-trait group showed significantly reduced theta power than the control group. In contrast, the ADHD-trait group exhibited an increased alpha power compared to the control group with the 250–1000 ms interval after stimulus onset. In terms of the PLV, the ADHD-trait group showed significantly weaker theta phase synchrony and fewer connection numbers in frontal-occipital areas than the control group. In terms of the theta brain network, the ADHD-trait group showed a significantly lower clustering coefficient and longer characteristic path length than the control group for the theta band. The present results indicate that college students with ADHD traits have deficits in spatial working memory and that these abnormal activities in neural oscillation, functional connectivity, and the network may contribute to spatial working memory deficits.

中文翻译：

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多动症大学生空间工作记忆任务中脑网络的动态特性

本研究使用事件相关电位 (ERP) 和空间 2-back 任务调查了具有注意力缺陷/多动障碍 (ADHD) 特征的大学生的空间工作记忆缺陷。我们还使用 EEG 数据计算了感官级别的活动，并研究了 theta 和 alpha 神经振荡、锁相值 (PLV) 和大脑网络。根据成人多动症自我报告量表 (ASRS) 和康纳斯成人多动症评定量表 (CAARS) 的分数，选择了多动症特征组 (n = 40) 和正常对照组 (n = 41)。参与者被要求对所呈现的刺激是否与之前的两次试验位于同一位置做出反应。在空间 2-back 任务中，ADHD 特质组的反应时间明显慢于对照组。在频谱方面，ADHD-特质组的θ功率显着低于对照组。相比之下，与对照组相比，在刺激开始后 250-1000 毫秒的间隔内，ADHD 特征组表现出增加的 alpha 功率。在 PLV 方面，ADHD-trait 组表现出比对照组更弱的θ相位同步和更少的额枕区连接数。在 theta 脑网络方面，ADHD-trait 组在 theta 波段表现出比对照组显着更低的聚类系数和更长的特征路径长度。目前的结果表明，具有多动症特征的大学生存在空间工作记忆缺陷，这些神经振荡、功能连接和网络的异常活动可能导致空间工作记忆缺陷。