Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder.
• Altered functional brain connectivity is hypothesized in ADHD, particularly between executive control and default mode networks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in resting-state functional connectivity between the executive control network (ECN) and default mode network (DMN) in children and adolescents with ADHD compared to healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory diagnostic test study with a case-control design.
• 56 participants (29 ADHD, 27 controls), aged 7–16 years.
• Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess functional connectivity of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) with the precuneus (P), posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC).

Main Results:

• Functional connectivity values between the ACC and other brain regions were slightly lower in ADHD patients compared to controls.
• No statistically significant differences were observed (p > 0.05) for any of the evaluated connections on the right or left sides.

Conclusions:

• While resting-state functional connectivity may be subtly altered in ADHD, this study did not find statistically significant differences between ADHD patients and controls.
• Further research with larger sample sizes may be needed to confirm subtle connectivity alterations in pediatric ADHD.