Brain morphology in children with epilepsy and ADHD
Ricardo Saute1, Kevin Dabbs2, Jana E Jones2
1Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Plos One
|April 25, 2014
Summary
Children with epilepsy and ADHD show widespread brain structure differences, including thinner cortex and smaller brainstem/subcortical volumes. These early changes suggest underlying neurodevelopmental issues.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Pediatric Neurology
- Developmental Neuroscience
Background:
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently co-occurs with childhood epilepsy.
- Neuroanatomical differences associated with ADHD in epilepsy are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neuroanatomical correlates of ADHD in children with recent-onset epilepsy.
- To compare brain structure in children with epilepsy and ADHD, epilepsy without ADHD, and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- High-resolution MRI scans were acquired for three groups: epilepsy with ADHD (n=18), epilepsy without ADHD (n=36), and healthy controls (n=46).
- Cortical morphology (thickness, area, volume, curvature) and subcortical/cerebellar volumes were analyzed using FreeSurfer 5.1.
Main Results:
- Children with epilepsy and ADHD demonstrated diffuse bilateral cortical thinning in frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes compared to controls.
- Reduced volumes were observed in the brainstem and subcortical structures (caudate, thalamus, hippocampus) in the epilepsy with ADHD group.
- Few significant differences were found in cortical volume, area, or curvature between groups.
Conclusions:
- Comorbid ADHD in children with epilepsy is associated with widespread bilateral decreased cortical thickness and reduced brainstem/subcortical volumes.
- These early anatomical abnormalities suggest antecedent neurodevelopmental alterations in this population.
- Further research is needed to determine the long-term course of these neurodevelopmental changes.
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