Reduced white matter integrity in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
Open accessAbstract
We used diffusion tensor imaging to investigate fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of fiber tract integrity, in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Using a tract-based atlasing approach on six-direction diffusion tensor imaging data, we examined FA within the cingulum, corpus callosum, corticospinal tract, fornix, optic radiations, superior longitudinal fasciculus, uncinate fasciculus, and the superior and inferior occipitofrontal fasciculi in an all-male sample of 17 children and adolescents with ADHD and 16 age-matched controls. ADHD patients had significantly lower FA in the corticospinal tract (P=0.02) and the superior longitudinal fasciculus (P=0.017) compared with controls. Results support that disruptions in motor and attentional networks may contribute toward ADHD pathophysiology. Future research may clarify how ADHD subtype and psychiatric comorbidities affect diffusion measures.
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Reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) is repeatedly observed in major association and projection tracts in ADHD.
“Across the literature, reduced fractional anisotropy (FA)—a hallmark of white-matter disruption—is repeatedly observed in major association and projection tracts”
From ADHD in Adulthood: Clinical Presentation, Comorbidities, and Treatment Perspectives (2025) · cites this paper as [75]
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“On the contrary, higher FA values were reported in disorders with expected WM disruptions such as Williams syndrome [Hoeft et al., 2007], bipolar disorder [Yurgelun-Todd et al., 2007], and ADHD subjects [Silk et al., 2009], suggesting that increased FA might also indicate WM pathology.”
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ADHD in Adulthood: Clinical Presentation, Comorbidities, and Treatment Perspectives
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“Across the literature, reduced fractional anisotropy (FA)—a hallmark of white-matter disruption—is repeatedly observed in major association and projection tracts [74,75].”
- Authors
- Hamilton, L. S., Levitt, J. G., O'Neill, J., Alger, J. R., Luders, E., Phillips, O. R., Caplan, R., Toga, A. W., McCracken, J., & Narr, K. L.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Corresponding author
- Narr, Katherine L.
- ORCID
- Venue
- NeuroReport
- Published
- 2008-11-19
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 17
- Pages
- 1705-1708
- ISSN
- 0959-4965 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2819371
- OpenAlex
- W2159419408
- Cited by
- 167
- References
- 18
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 9.11
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Neuroreport (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Mental Health (K01MH073990, P50 MH073466-01)
- National Center for Research Resources (P41RR013642, U54RR021813, P41 RR13642)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Keywords
- attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, white matter integrity, fractional anisotropy, corticospinal tract, superior longitudinal fasciculus, tract-based spatial statistics, corpus callosum, cingulum, fornix, optic radiation, uncinate fasciculus, children and adolescents
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Brain, Child, Corpus Callosum, Dominance, Cerebral, Gyrus Cinguli, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Male, Nerve Net, Anisotropy, Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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