Glymphatic system dysfunction in adult ADHD: Relationship to cognitive performance
Yan Fang1, Juan Peng2, Tiantian Chu1
1Department of Anesthesiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Geriatric Anesthesia and Perioperative Brain Health, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China; Wuhan Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Anesthesia, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Journal of Affective Disorders
|March 13, 2025
Summary
Adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show impaired glymphatic system function, indicated by lower ALPS indices. This glymphatic dysfunction is linked to poorer visual memory, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for ADHD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Radiology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often persists into adulthood, impacting cognitive functions.
- The role of the glymphatic system, responsible for waste clearance in the brain, in adult ADHD is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between glymphatic system function markers and cognitive performance in adults diagnosed with ADHD.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 41 adults with ADHD and 108 healthy controls (HCs).
- Glymphatic function was assessed using choroid plexus volume (CPV), diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) index, and blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD)-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) coupling.
- Cognitive abilities were evaluated using standardized neuropsychological tests.
Main Results:
- Adults with ADHD had significantly lower bilateral and whole-brain DTI-ALPS indices compared to HCs.
- While choroid plexus volume was higher in the ADHD group, this did not reach statistical significance.
- Whole-brain ALPS indices positively correlated with visual memory performance, particularly in the right hemisphere.
Conclusions:
- Glymphatic system dysfunction is associated with cognitive impairments, specifically visual memory deficits, in adults with ADHD.
- These findings suggest that glymphatic alterations may contribute to cognitive deficits observed in adult ADHD.
- Targeting glymphatic pathways could represent a novel therapeutic strategy for managing adult ADHD.
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