Clinical correlations of grey matter reductions in the caudate nucleus of adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have shown decreased caudate volumes in individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, most of these studies have been carried out in male children. Very little research has been done in adults, and the results obtained in children are difficult to extrapolate to adults. We sought to compare the volume of the caudate of adults with ADHD with that of healthy controls; we also compared these volumes between men and women. Methods: We performed an MRI scan on 20 adults with ADHD (10 men and 10 women) aged 25-35 years and 20 healthy controls matched by age and sex. We used voxel-based morphometry with the DARTEL algorithm for image analyses. We used the specifically designed Friederichsen, Almeida, Serrano, Cortes Test (FASCT) to measure the severity of ADHD; both the self-reported (FASCT-SR) and the observer (FASCT-O) versions were used. Results: The statistical parametric map showed a smaller region with low grey matter volume and a smaller concentration of grey matter in this region of the right caudate in ADHD patients than in health controls, both in the entire sample and within each sex. There was a significant correlation between the volume of this region of the caudate with the number of DSM IV-TR criteria, as well as with the total scores and most of the factors of the FASCT-SR and FASCT-O scales. A separate correlation analysis by sex gave similar results. Limitations: The study design was cross-sectional. Conclusion: The region of the right caudate with low grey matter volume was smaller in adults with ADHD in both sexes and was correlated with ADHD severity.

The effects of methylphenidate on cerebral responses to conflict anticipation and unsigned prediction error in a stop-signal task

“…Reductions in volume and D 2 /D 3 binding potential of the caudate head are a prominent feature in ADHD (Hynd et al, 1993; Montes et al, 2010; Volkow et al, 2007). On tasks requiring conflict anticipation, individuals with ADHD show poor performance, but after MPH administration, performance improves in association with larger changes in caudate D 2 /D 3 binding potential (Fried et al, 2014; Rosa-Neto et al, 2005).…”

The impact of ADHD persistence, recent cannabis use, and age of regular cannabis use onset on subcortical volume and cortical thickness in young adults

“…Reduced volume and thickness have been noted in other cortical regions, including the occipital cortex (Ahrendts et al, 2011; Proal et al, 2011), parietal cortex [postcentral gyrus (Almeida Montes et al, 2013), inferior parietal (Makris et al, 2007; Proal et al, 2011), precuneus (Proal et al, 2011), superior parietal (Almeida Montes et al, 2013), and temporal pole (Proal et al, 2011). Subcortical regions that are abnormal in adults with ADHD include the caudate (Almeida et al, 2010; Almeida Montes et al, 2010; Onnink et al, 2014; Proal et al, 2011; Seidman et al, 2011), amygdala (Frodl et al, 2010), hippocampus in medicated individuals (Onnink et al, 2014), nucleus accumbens (Seidman et al, 2006), and cerebellum (Biederman et al, 2008). Therefore, studies in adults with persistent ADHD have found brain structural abnormalities that are also seen in childhood (Castellanos et al, 2003; Castellanos and Proal, 2012; Cherkasova and Hechtman, 2009; Frodl and Skokaukas, 2012; Pastura et al, 2011; Peng et al, 2013).…”

“…Therefore, studies in adults with persistent ADHD have found brain structural abnormalities that are also seen in childhood (Castellanos et al, 2003; Castellanos and Proal, 2012; Cherkasova and Hechtman, 2009; Frodl and Skokaukas, 2012; Pastura et al, 2011; Peng et al, 2013). However, it is notable that most of these studies included samples that were, on average, older than twenty-five years of age (Ahrendts et al, 2011; Almeida et al, 2010; Almeida Montes et al, 2010; Amico et al, 2011; Biederman et al, 2008; Clerkin et al, 2013; Frodl et al, 2010; Hesslinger et al, 2002; Makris et al, 2007; Mattfeld et al, 2014; Onnink et al, 2014; Perlov et al, 2008; Seidman et al, 2011, 2006; Almeida Montes et al, 2013) when most gray matter neuromaturation is complete (e.g., Giedd et al, 1999) and in older samples, gray matter may be reducing due to aging. For example, older adults may actually be demonstrating more rapid reductions in gray matter and white matter compared to younger samples.…”

Go/No Go task performance predicts cortical thickness in the caudal inferior frontal gyrus in young adults with and without ADHD

“…However, a number of structural MRI (sMRI) studies have examined correlates of ADHD in adults. A series of reports by Almeida Montes and colleagues has shown that adults with ADHD have reduced cortical thickness in the right superior frontal cortex (Almeida Montes et al 2010) and right frontoparietal cortex (Almeida Montes et al 2012), and that the severity of their ADHD symptoms correlates negatively with thickness in these regions. These reports also reveal reduced grey matter volume in the caudate nucleus (Almeida Montes et al 2010) and, specifically in women, reduced grey matter density in the right cerebellum (Almeida Montes et al 2011) in these individuals.…”

“…A series of reports by Almeida Montes and colleagues has shown that adults with ADHD have reduced cortical thickness in the right superior frontal cortex (Almeida Montes et al 2010) and right frontoparietal cortex (Almeida Montes et al 2012), and that the severity of their ADHD symptoms correlates negatively with thickness in these regions. These reports also reveal reduced grey matter volume in the caudate nucleus (Almeida Montes et al 2010) and, specifically in women, reduced grey matter density in the right cerebellum (Almeida Montes et al 2011) in these individuals. Other studies have found decreased volume and/or cortical thickness in the orbitofrontal, dorsolateral, and anterior and posterior cingulate regions (Cubillo and Rubia 2010; Makris et al 2007).…”