Cited by 530Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Meta‐analysis of structural MRI studies in children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder indicates treatment effects

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Frodl, T., Skokauskas, N.·2012·Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica

Abstract

Frodl T, Skokauskas N. Meta‐analysis of structural MRI studies in children and adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder indicates treatment effects. Objective: About 50–80% of ADHD cases have been found to persist into adulthood, but ADHD symptoms change with age. The aim of this study was to perform a meta‐analysis of MRI voxel‐based morphometry (VBM) and manual tracing studies to identify the differences between adults and children with ADHD as well as between treated and untreated individuals. Method: Several databases were searched using keywords ‘attention‐deficit and MRI’, ‘ADHD and MRI’. Gray matter volumes from VBM studies and caudate volumes from tracing studies of patients and controls were analyzed using signed differential mapping. Results: Meta‐analyses detected reduced right globus pallidus and putamen volumes in VBM studies as well as decreased caudate volumes in manual tracing studies in children with ADHD. Adult patients with ADHD showed volume reduction in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). A higher percentage of treated participants were associated with less changes. Conclusion: Basal ganglia regions like the right globus pallidus, the right putamen, and the nucleus caudatus are structurally affected in children with ADHD. These changes and alterations in limbic regions like ACC and amygdala are more pronounced in non‐treated populations and seem to diminish over time from child to adulthood. Treatment seems to have positive effects on brain structure.

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Crossref · 10.1111/j.1600-0447.2011.01786.x

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  • In patients with ADHD, meta-analyses have documented smaller volumes across several brain regions, most consistently in the right globus pallidus, right putamen, caudate nucleus and cerebellum.

    “In patients with ADHD, meta-analyses have documented smaller volumes across several brain regions, most consistently in the right globus pallidus, right putamen, caudate nucleus and cerebellum 84,85 .”

    From Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (2015) · cites this paper as [85]

    The Discussion (p. 8) reports reduced right globus pallidus and putamen volumes in children with ADHD, and reduced caudate volumes in a separate meta-analysis of manual-tracing studies. But the discussion on p. 9 says cerebellar reductions appeared only in some studies, did not appear in this paper’s VBM meta-analysis, and were less consistent than basal-ganglia changes. The claim therefore overstates the evidence for the cerebellum and does not retain the findings’ childhood qualification. (LLM, conf=0.90)

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  • Some brain volumetric alterations observed in childhood normalize with age, whereas other measures remain fixed.

    “Some brain volumetric alterations observed in childhood normalize with age 82,85 , whereas other m easures remain fixed.”

    From Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (2015) · cites this paper as [85]

    The Discussion (p. 8) says that basal-ganglia volume differences seen in children with ADHD seem to diminish by adulthood. It does not establish that they fully normalize with age: the studies were cross-sectional, and the limitations section (p. 10) cautions against drawing longitudinal conclusions. The citation follows the normalization clause, so the statement about other measures remaining fixed is not assessed here. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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  • Adults with ADHD show reduced fronto-striatal and cerebellar gray matter volume overall, and these reductions appear more robust in males.

    “While adults with ADHD show reduced fronto-striatal and cerebellar gray matter volume overall [127,128,129,130], these reductions appear more robust in males [131,132,133].”

    From ADHD in Adulthood: Clinical Presentation, Comorbidities, and Treatment Perspectives (2025) · cites this paper as [127]

    The Adults section (p. 6) reports reduced gray matter in the anterior cingulate cortex in adults with ADHD. The Results (p. 5) place the putamen and globus pallidus reductions in children, while the discussion (p. 9) says cerebellar changes did not appear in this meta-analysis. The paper also cautions that possible gender effects should not be overinterpreted (p. 8); it does not establish that these reductions are more robust in adult males. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Recent meta-analyses emphasize the reduced volume of the basal ganglia, especially the lentiform nucleus (globus pallidus and putamen) and the caudate, seen in ADHD patients.

    “They emphasize the reduced volume of the basal ganglia, especially the lentiform nucleus (globus pallidus and putamen) (Ellison-Wright et al. 2008; Nakao et al. 2011) and the caudate (Ellison-Wright et al. 2008; Frodl and Skokauskas 2012; Nakao et al. 2011; Valera et al. 2007) seen in ADHD patients.”

    From The neurobiological link between OCD and ADHD (2014) · cites this paper as Frodl and Skokauskas 2012

  • Subsequent meta-analyses mainly report differences in basal ganglia together with changes in total brain or gray matter volume in ADHD.

    “However, subsequent meta-analyses [8–11] mainly report differences in basal ganglia together with changes in total brain [8] or gray matter volume [11].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [8]8. dependent impulsive and physiological trait moderators? Acta Psychiatr Scand 2010; 121 :81-83.

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Authors
Frodl, T., & Skokauskas, N.
Affiliations
Trinity College Dublin (IE)
Corresponding author
Frodl, T.
Venue
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2011-11-28
Volume
125
Issue
2
Pages
114-126
ISSN
  • 0001-690X (ISSN-L)
  • 1600-0447
OpenAlex
W1546703732
Cited by
530
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 19 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 29 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 41 · 2019: 42 · 2018: 33 · 2017: 49 · 2016: 43 · 2015: 44 · 2014: 49 · 2013: 35 · 2012: 18
FWCI
4.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, brain structure, gray matter volume, basal ganglia, globus pallidus, putamen, caudate nucleus, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, voxel-based morphometry, manual tracing, children versus adults, longitudinal brain changes
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Amygdala, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Basal Ganglia, Brain, Brain Mapping, Child, Female, Gyrus Cinguli, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Organ Size, Young Adult

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