Exploring the limits of Multisensory integration in Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

• Applicant: Dr. Marcel Schulze
• Subject Area: Biological Psychiatry ; Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience
• Term: since 2026
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 576427834

This research project aims to investigate multisensory integration processes in adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), focusing specifically on auditory and visual stimuli processing. Patients with ADHD frequently experience difficulties in sensory processing, notably auditory hypersensitivity. Using psychophysical experiments, this study seeks to identify the threshold of stimulus complexity at which multisensory integration becomes impaired in adults with ADHD. A particular focus will be on determining if auditory stimuli are disproportionately weighted, potentially disrupting the integration of visual information. Furthermore, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be used to investigate specific brain activations related to altered multisensory integration processes in individuals with ADHD. The study will differentiate between simple (bottom-up) and complex (top-down) multisensory integration processes, aiming to pinpoint exactly where integration may falter. Additionally, the project will evaluate whether methylphenidate (MPH), a common pharmacological treatment for ADHD, can positively influence these neural activations and improve the performance of multisensory integration. The results from this research could significantly enhance the understanding of the neural bases underlying multisensory and attentional deficits in ADHD. These insights may lead to the development of targeted multisensory-based therapeutic strategies, thereby opening new avenues for treatment interventions.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants