Harvard Medical School suggests electroencephalography, or EEG can help diagnose attention disorders. Attention deficit disorder (ADD), with or without hyperactivity, affects up to 5 percent of the population, according to the DSM-5. It can be difficult to diagnose behaviorally, and coexisting conditions like autism spectrum disorder or mood disorders can mask it.
While recent MRI studies have indicated differences in the brains of people with ADD, the differences are too subtle and the tests too expensive to be a practical diagnostic measure.
New research suggests a role for an everyday, relatively cheap alternative: electroencephalography, or EEG.