Objective
Though there is growing evidence of brain abnormalities among individuals with Conduct Disorder (CD), the structural neuroimaging literature is mixed and frequently aggregates cortical volume rather than differentiating cortical thickness from surface area. The current study assesses CD-related differences in cortical thickness, surface area, and gyrification as well as volume differences in subcortical structures critical to neurodevelopmental models of CD (amygdala; striatum) in a carefully characterized sample. We also examined whether group structural differences were related to severity of callous-unemotional (CU) traits in the CD sample.
Method
Participants were 49 community adolescents (aged 10-18 years); 22 with CD and 27 healthy comparison youth. Structural MRI was collected and the FreeSurfer image analysis suite was used to provide measures of cortical thickness, surface area and local gyrification as well as subcortical (amygdala and striatum) volumes.
Results
Youths with CD showed reduced cortical thickness in superior temporal cortex. There were also indications of reduced gyrification in ventromedial frontal cortex particularly for youth with CD without comorbid Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. There were no group differences in cortical surface area. However, the youth with CD also showed reduced amygdala and striatum (putamen and pallidum) volumes. Right temporal cortical thickness was significantly inversely related to severity of CU traits.
Conclusions
Youths with CD show reduced cortical thickness within superior temporal regions, some indication of reduced gyrification within ventromedial frontal cortex and reduced amygdala and striatum (putamen and pallidum) volumes. These results are discussed with reference to neurobiological models of CD.