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

Abstract

Response inhibition deficits are widely believed to be at the core of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Several studies have examined neural architectural correlates of ADHD, but research directly examining structural correlates of response inhibition is lacking. Here we examine the relationship between response inhibition as measured by a Go/No Go task, and cortical surface area and thickness of the caudal inferior frontal gyrus (cIFG), a region implicated in functional imaging studies of response inhibition, in a sample of 114 young adults with and without ADHD diagnosed initially during childhood. We used multiple linear regression models to test the hypothesis that Go/No Go performance would be associated with cIFG surface area or thickness. Results showed that poorer Go/No Go performance was associated with thicker cIFG cortex, and this effect was not mediated by ADHD status or history of substance use. However, independent of Go/No Go performance, persistence of ADHD symptoms and more frequent cannabis use were associated with thinner cIFG. Go/No Go performance was not associated with cortical surface area. The association between poor inhibitory functioning and thicker cIFG suggests that maturation of this region may differ in low performing participants. An independent association of persistent ADHD symptoms and frequent cannabis use with thinner cIFG cortex suggests that distinct neural mechanisms within this region may play a role in inhibitory function, broader ADHD symptomatology, and cannabis use. These results contribute to Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) by revealing novel associations between neural architectural phenotypes and basic neurobehavioral processes measured dimensionally.

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

“…Prior to analyzing the primary aims, we confirmed that MRI site did not significantly predict subcortical volumes or cortical thickness (p’s>.10); this is consistent with other multi-site MRI studies demonstrating low between-scanner variability in cortical thickness (Han et al, 2006; Dewey et al, 2010; Jovicich et al, 2006) as well as a previous analysis utilizing the current sample (Newman et al, 2015). …”

“…Multimodal Treatment Study of Children with ADHD," 1999). For the current neuroimaging study, participants were brought in for an MRI and neuropsychological evaluation at one of six sites (Newman et al, 2015). …”

Six Years of Research on the National Institute of Mental Health’s Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Initiative: A Systematic Review

“…As an additional example of a study employing multiple units of analysis to explore a Cognitive System, Newman et al (2016) focused on the Response Selection construct by examining the relationship between cortical thickness and performance on a go/no-go task. In a sample of 114 adults, 46% of which exhibited symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) persisting into adulthood, thickness of the caudal inferior frontal gyrus was associated with poorer response inhibition (i.e., more commission errors) regardless of ADHD symptoms or history of substance abuse.…”

Distinct regionalization patterns of cortical morphology are associated with cognitive performance across different domains

“…Regional differences in cortical morphology during development (relative to global brain measures) have been previously linked to different aspects of cognitive function [19][20][21][22][23] . However, previous studies have been underpowered, and did not employ multivariate tools, to assess the contribution of the whole configuration of cortical morphology to individual differences in cognition.…”