Neuroimaging in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) research using neuroimaging is expanding.
• Despite advancements, neuroimaging findings have not yet translated into significant clinical utility for ADHD diagnosis or treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) research on ADHD.
• To identify robust findings, current trends, and challenges in ADHD neuroimaging.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of 40 publications from January 2019 to September 2020 on MRI research in ADHD.
• Analysis of meta-analyses and findings from international consortia like Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics Through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA).

Main Results:

• Conflicting results exist across meta-analyses of functional and resting-state functional MRI (fMRI and R-fMRI) studies in ADHD.
• The ENIGMA consortium reported statistically robust, though small, differences in structural brain indices between children with ADHD and controls.
• Growing research utilizes machine learning and multimodal data (imaging, genetics, phenotypic) within open-science frameworks to understand ADHD pathophysiology.

Conclusions:

• Neuroimaging currently falls short of informing clinical practice for ADHD.
• Large-scale, multimodal, and open-science initiatives offer promising avenues for elucidating the neurobiology of ADHD.