Aberrant local striatal functional connectivity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Neuroscience
• Brain Imaging

Background:

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with altered brain activity in cortico-striatal networks.
• Previous studies using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) have reported varying findings regarding ADHD's impact on brain networks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether ADHD affects the brain's global cortico-striatal functional architecture.
• To determine if ADHD-related alterations are confined to local, intrastriatal functional connections.

Main Methods:

• Functional connectivity analysis using resting-state fMRI in adolescents with ADHD (N=181) and healthy controls (N=140).
• Assessment of functional connectivity in key striatal regions: nucleus accumbens, caudate nucleus, anterior putamen, and posterior putamen.
• Global architecture assessed via whole-brain multivariate analysis; local connectivity examined using partial correlations within striatal regions.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in global cortico-striatal functional architecture between ADHD and control groups.
• Adolescents with ADHD showed significantly increased local functional connectivity between the anterior and posterior putamen compared to controls (p=.0003).
• Findings remained consistent regardless of medication status or comorbid disorders.

Conclusions:

• ADHD is not associated with global cortico-striatal network alterations.
• Altered local functional connectivity within the putamen is a key finding in ADHD.
• This suggests aberrant development of local putamen connectivity, potentially impairing functional segregation in ADHD.