Quantitative Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

TLDR

Anatomic MRI studies of ADHD have been limited by small samples or single‑region measurements. The study measured 12 subcortical and cortical regions and their symmetries to determine whether these structures best distinguished ADHD. Anatomic MRIs were obtained from 57 ADHD boys and 55 controls (ages 5–18) on a 1.5‑T scanner, and volumetric measures of 12 subcortical and cortical regions, their asymmetries, and midsagittal areas were analyzed with high interrater reliability. ADHD subjects showed a 4.7 % smaller total cerebral volume and multiple regional asymmetry abnormalities, including reduced right caudate, globus pallidus, anterior frontal cortex, and cerebellum, suggesting dysfunction of right‑sided prefrontal‑striatal systems.

Abstract

<h3>Background:</h3> Anatomic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have been limited by small samples or measurement of single brain regions. Since the neuropsychological deficits in ADHD implicate a network linking basal ganglia and frontal regions, 12 subcortical and cortical regions and their symmetries were measured to determine if these structures best distinguished ADHD. <h3>Method:</h3> Anatomic brain MRIs for 57 boys with ADHD and 55 healthy matched controls, aged 5 to 18 years, were obtained using a 1.5-T scanner with contiguous 2-mm sections. Volumetric measures of the cerebrum, caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus, amygdala, hippocampus, temporal lobe, cerebellum; a measure of prefrontal cortex; and related right-left asymmetries were examined along with midsagittal area measures of the cerebellum and corpus callosum. Interrater reliabilities were.82 or greater for all MRI measures. <h3>Results:</h3> Subjects with ADHD had a 4.7% smaller total cerebral volume (<i>P</i>=.02). Analysis of covariance for total cerebral volume demonstrated a significant loss of normal right&gt;left asymmetry in the caudate (<i>P</i>=.006), smaller right globus pallidus (<i>P</i>=.005), smaller right anterior frontal region (<i>P</i>=.02), smaller cerebellum (<i>P</i>=.05), and reversal of normal lateral ventricular asymmetry (<i>P</i>=.03) in the ADHD group. The normal age-related decrease in caudate volume was not seen, and increases in lateral ventricular volumes were significantly diminished in ADHD. <h3>Conclusion:</h3> This first comprehensive morphometric analysis is consistent with hypothesized dysfunction of right-sided prefrontal-striatal systems in ADHD.