mgr Izabela Sarzyńska

ORCID: 0009-0009-9627-210X
The topic of my dissertation is: „ Similarities in Brain Activity Patterns (QEEG) between Children with ADHD and Their Parents: An Analysis of Familial Neurophysiological Correlates.”
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex background involving genetic and environmental factors. The familial occurrence of ADHD motivates research into measurable neurophysiological characteristics associated with the disorder. Quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) enables the analysis of selected parameters of brain electrical activity. However, similarities in these parameters between children with ADHD and their biological parents, compared with families of neurotypical children, remain insufficiently understood.
My research focuses on familial similarities in selected QEEG parameters. The project involves children with ADHD and neurotypical children aged 7-12 years, together with one biological parent of each child. Psychological assessment will be combined with resting-state EEG recordings under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. The analysis will examine the amplitudes and percentage contributions of selected EEG frequency bands, differences between groups, and associations between children’s and parents’ results. Potential confounding factors, including age, sex, medication use, and co-occurring conditions, will be considered when interpreting the findings.
This project may advance our understanding of familial neurophysiological correlates of ADHD and identify QEEG parameters warranting further investigation as potential endophenotypes of the disorder. The findings may inform subsequent research into the biological underpinnings of ADHD. However, familial similarities alone will not establish a genetic basis or demonstrate the diagnostic utility of the parameters examined.

Publication:
1.    Ochojska, D., Góral-Półrola, J., Torices, S., Toborek, M., Sarzyńska, I., Ziółkowski, A., & Kopańska, M. (2026). Modern and innovative methods for ADHD diagnostics: From digital biomarkers to functional neurophysiology. Acta Neuropsychologica, 24(1), 101-126. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0055.6535
2.    Kopańska, M., Ochojska, D., Sarzyńska, I., Trojniak, J., & Szczygielski, J., (2025) Exploratory quantitative EEG characteristics in children with autism spectrum disorder. Front. Psychiatry 16:1689000. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1689000
3.    Kopańska, M., Ochojska, D., Sarzyńska, I., Trojniak, J., Banaś-Ząbczyk, A., & Szczygielski, J. (2025). The use of quantitative electroencephalography (eyes closed) to assess the effectiveness of neurofeedback in therapy in children with mild autism spectrum disorders that reveal attention deficit disorders. Acta Neuropsychologica, 23(1), 27–46. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0054.9911