SPECT Functional Neuroimaging Distinguishes Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder From Healthy Controls in...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Psychiatry
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis currently lacks objective biomarkers, relying on subjective history and observation.
• Identifying reliable neuroimaging biomarkers is crucial for improving ADHD diagnosis accuracy and objectivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare brain perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in adults with ADHD and healthy controls.
• To identify specific brain regions that can serve as potential biomarkers to reliably distinguish ADHD.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of resting-state SPECT scans from 1,135 subjects (1,006 ADHD, 129 controls).
• Analysis of SPECT regions of interest (ROIs) and visual readings using binary logistic regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis.
• Exclusion of subjects with comorbid diagnoses, brain injury, or substance use to focus on a single ADHD diagnosis group.

Main Results:

• Baseline SPECT scans showed significant differences between ADHD patients and healthy controls.
• Visual readings achieved 100% sensitivity and >97% specificity; post-hoc ROI analysis demonstrated 100% sensitivity and specificity.
• Key areas with decreased perfusion in ADHD included orbitofrontal cortices, anterior cingulate, prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, and temporal lobes.

Conclusions:

• Brain perfusion SPECT effectively distinguishes adult ADHD patients without comorbidities from healthy controls.
• Potential biomarkers identified include the medial anterior prefrontal cortex, left anterior temporal lobe, and right insular cortex.
• Further research is warranted to validate these biomarkers in ADHD patients with comorbidities.