Functional connectivity based brain signatures of behavioral regulation in children with ADHD, DCD, and ADHD-DCD
Christiane S Rohr1,2,3,4,5,6, Signe L Bray1,2,3,4,5,6,7, Deborah M Dewey2,3,5,7,8
1Child and Adolescent Imaging Research Program, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada.
Insights
Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show behavioral regulation differences. Brain scans reveal altered functional connectivity (FC) in prefrontal and reward pathways linked to these challenges.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Child Psychiatry
Background:
- Behavioral regulation issues are common in children with neurodevelopmental conditions like ADHD and DCD.
- These challenges impact daily life and mental health, necessitating a deeper understanding of underlying brain mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate transdiagnostic brain signatures, specifically functional connectivity (FC), associated with behavioral regulation in children.
- To explore differences in FC related to behavioral regulation across typically developing children, those with ADHD, DCD, and combined ADHD-DCD.
Main Methods:
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were acquired from 115 children (aged 7-17).
- Participants included typically developing (TD) children, and those with ADHD, DCD, or both.
- Behavioral regulation was assessed using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function; FC maps were computed and correlated with scores.
Main Results:
- Behavioral regulation scores differed significantly between children with and without ADHD.
- Increased behavioral regulation problems correlated with stronger negative FC in prefrontal and visual reward pathways.
- Weaker positive FC in frontostriatal reward pathways was also associated with greater regulation difficulties.
Conclusions:
- Functional connectivity patterns in prefrontal and reward pathways are associated with behavioral regulation in children.
- These FC findings represent potential brain-based signatures for behavioral regulation across diverse neurodevelopmental conditions.
- The study enhances understanding of FC in children with and without ADHD, offering insights into shared neural mechanisms.
Abstract:
Behavioral regulation problems have been associated with daily-life and mental health challenges in children with neurodevelopmental conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and developmental coordination disorder (DCD). Here, we investigated transdiagnostic brain signatures associated with behavioral regulation. Resting-state fMRI data were collected from 115 children (31 typically developing (TD), 35 ADHD, 21 DCD, 28 ADHD-DCD) aged 7-17 years. Behavioral regulation was measured using the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function and was found to differ between children with ADHD (i.e., children with ADHD and ADHD-DCD) and without ADHD (i.e., TD children and children with DCD). Functional connectivity (FC) maps were computed for 10 regions of interest and FC maps were tested for correlations with behavioral regulation scores. Across the entire sample, greater behavioral regulation problems were associated with stronger negative FC within prefrontal pathways and visual reward pathways, as well as with weaker positive FC in frontostriatal reward pathways. These findings significantly increase our knowledge on FC in children with and without ADHD and highlight the potential of FC as brain-based signatures of behavioral regulation across children with differing neurodevelopmental conditions.
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