Beyond Neural Noise: Critical Dynamics Predict Slower Reaction Times in Adults With and Without ADHD

Neural dynamics shift toward the edge-of-synchrony critical point before slower responses in both ADHD and control adults during a bimodal continuous performance task.

• Why it matters: The work addresses whether attention-related reaction-time variability reflects structured neural variability rather than random noise, and tests a proposed criticality mechanism for ADHD.
• What they did: Adults performed a bimodal continuous performance task while neural oscillatory dynamics and criticality were assessed for whether they preceded slower behavioral responses.
• The result: Criticality increases prior to slower responses in both groups, implying structured variability during attention lapses, and challenging edge-of-synchrony criticality as a unifying account; the effect was not seen at the between-subject level.