Pupillary dilations in a Target/Distractor visual task paradigm and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Claudio M Privitera; Sean Noah; Thom Carney; Stanley A Klein; Agatha Lenartowicz; Stephen P Hinshaw; James T McCracken; Joel T Nigg; Sarah L Karalunas; Rory C Reid; Mercedes T Oliva; Samantha S Betts; Gregory V Simpson

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137556

Pupillary dilations in a Target/Distractor visual task paradigm and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Neurosci Lett. 2024 Jan 1:818:137556. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137556. Epub 2023 Nov 10.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of California, Berkeley, United States. Electronic address: claudiop@berkeley.edu.
² School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of California, Berkeley, United States; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, United States.
³ School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of California, Berkeley, United States.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.
⁵ Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, United States.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Semel Institute and David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, United States.
⁷ Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, United States.
⁸ Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.
⁹ Division of Social Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, United States.
¹⁰ Graduate Program in Neurosciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, United States.
¹¹ Think Now, Incorporated, San Francisco, CA, United States.

PMID: 37951300
DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2023.137556

Abstract

ADHD is a neurocognitive disorder characterized by attention difficulties, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, often persisting into adulthood with substantial personal and societal consequences. Despite the importance of neurophysiological assessment and treatment monitoring tests, their availability outside of research settings remains limited. Cognitive neuroscience investigations have identified distinct components associated with ADHD, including deficits in sustained attention, inefficient enhancement of attended Targets, and altered suppression of ignored Distractors. In this study, we examined pupil activity in control and ADHD subjects during a sustained visual attention task specifically designed to evaluate the mechanisms underlying Target enhancement and Distractor suppression. Our findings revealed some distinguishing factors between the two groups which we discuss in light of their neurobiological implications.

MeSH terms

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity* / psychology
Dilatation
Humans
Impulsive Behavior
Psychomotor Agitation