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A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study in Children With ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, OCD, and Matched Controls: Distinct

Stephanie H Ameis1, Jason P Lerch1, Margot J Taylor1

  • 1From the Centre for Brain and Mental Health and the Department of Diagnostic Imaging, the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto; the Department of Psychology, University of Toronto; the Department of Psychiatry, the Department of Medical Biophysics, the Department of Pediatrics, and the Department of Medical Imaging, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto; the Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, Bloorview Research Institute, University of Toronto; the Margaret and Wallace McCain Centre for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health and the Kimel Family Translational Imaging-Genetics Lab, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), University of Toronto; the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.; the Pediatric OCD Consultation Service, Anxiety Treatment and Research Centre, St. Joseph's HealthCare, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ont., Canada; and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, the Department of Psychiatry, and the Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta., Canada.

The American Journal of Psychiatry
|July 2, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Disrupted brain circuitry, specifically lower fractional anisotropy in the corpus callosum, is a shared feature in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Higher fractional anisotropy correlates with better adaptive functioning across these neurodevelopmental disorders.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) like ADHD, ASD, and OCD share genetic underpinnings and symptom overlap.
  • Understanding the shared and distinct structural brain alterations in NDDs is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To directly compare structural brain circuitry in children and adolescents with NDDs and controls.
  • To investigate brain circuit-behavior relationships across NDDs using dimensional measures.

Main Methods:

  • Diffusion imaging and behavioral data were collected from 200 children and adolescents (ADHD, OCD, ASD, and controls).
  • Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) and multigroup comparisons analyzed white matter indices.
  • Correlations between fractional anisotropy and dimensional measures of inattention, social deficits, and adaptive functioning were examined.

Main Results:

  • All NDD groups showed lower fractional anisotropy in the splenium of the corpus callosum compared to controls.
  • ASD and ADHD groups exhibited lower fractional anisotropy in additional white matter tracts than controls, unlike the OCD group.
  • Fractional anisotropy was lower in ASD and ADHD compared to OCD, but not significantly different between ASD and ADHD.
  • Higher fractional anisotropy across the brain positively correlated with general adaptive functioning in the NDD sample.

Conclusions:

  • Disruption in interhemispheric circuitry (corpus callosum) is a common feature of ASD, ADHD, and OCD.
  • White matter alterations may be more widespread and severe in ASD and ADHD than in OCD.
  • Enhanced fractional anisotropy is associated with better adaptive functioning across neurodevelopmental disorders.
Abstract

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