P300 analysis based on time frequency decomposition methods for adhd discrimination in child population

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterized by generalized symptoms and distortion of the lack of attention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. ADHD is one of the most common psychological problems in childhood, with a prevalence estimated between 5% and 7%. To diagnose the presence of ADHD different techniques are used, such as neuroimaging, neuropsychological tests and neurophysiological studies. One method of the neurophysiological research is the one that records the brain´s electrical activity onto potentials generated in response of a specific stimuli, which can be auditory, somatosensory or visual, known as event-related potential (ERP) or so-called cognitive evoked potentials. It is proposed to find the incidence of low-frequency bands calculated from wavelets and empirical mode decomposition to determine whether exist significative differences in the behavior of ERP waves in ADHD patients and control patients for a correct diagnosis. To do so, a database of visual evoked potentials of children between 4 and 15 years old is available, composed of 148 ADHD patients and 123 control patients.