Neuroimaging in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Recent Advances

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neurodevelopmental Disorders
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition characterized by attention deficits and impulsive behaviors.
• ADHD symptoms can persist throughout an individual's lifespan, impacting various aspects of life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive summary of structural and functional brain imaging findings in individuals with ADHD.
• To explore the heterogeneity of ADHD and its implications for neuroimaging research.

Main Methods:

• Review of structural neuroimaging techniques including conventional, volumetric, and diffusion tensor imaging.
• Analysis of functional neuroimaging modalities such as task-based and resting-state functional MRI (fMRI), PET, and MR spectroscopy.
• Inclusion of findings from artificial intelligence models analyzing brain anatomy.

Main Results:

• Consistent structural abnormalities reported in the frontal lobes, basal ganglia, and corpus callosum.
• Observed alterations include decreased surface area in specific cortical regions, thinner medial temporal lobes, and smaller caudate nuclei.
• Functional imaging highlights perception-action mapping alterations, particularly in prefrontal and temporal regions, with AI models identifying changes in cortical thickness and regional brain shape.

Conclusions:

• While neuroimaging offers insights into ADHD neuropathophysiology, significant heterogeneity prevents a definitive neuroradiologic diagnostic pattern.
• Early interventions and normal brain maturation can influence imaging findings, underscoring the dynamic nature of brain development in ADHD.
• Further research is needed to reconcile imaging findings with the diverse clinical presentations of ADHD.