Disorder-specific brain volumetric abnormalities in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder relative to Autism Spectrum Disorder

PLoS One. 2020 Nov 9;15(11):e0241856. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241856. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

The overlap/distinctiveness between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been increasingly investigated in recent years, particularly since the DSM-5 allows the dual diagnosis of ASD and ADHD, but the underlying brain mechanisms remain unclear. Although both disorders are associated with brain volumetric abnormalities, it is necessary to unfold the shared and specific volume abnormalities that could contribute to explain the similarities and differences in the clinical and neurocognitive profiles between ADHD and ASD. In this voxel-based morphometry (VBM) study, regional grey matter volumes (GMV) were compared between 22 children with ADHD, 18 children with ASD and 17 typically developing (TD) children aged 8 to 12 years old, controlling for age and total intracranial volume. When compared to TD children or children with ASD, children with ADHD had a larger left precuneus, and a smaller right thalamus, suggesting that these brain abnormalities are specific to ADHD relative to ASD. Overall, this study contributes to the delineation of disorder-specific structural abnormalities in ADHD and ASD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / diagnostic imaging*
  • Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / pathology
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder / diagnostic imaging*
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder / pathology
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain / pathology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Female
  • Gray Matter / diagnostic imaging
  • Gray Matter / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Thalamus / diagnostic imaging
  • Thalamus / pathology*

Grants and funding

IM received an investigator-initiated research grant from Shire Pharmaceutical Development Limited, a member of the Takeda group of companies (Study ID: IST-BEL-00520). AAS is supported by a grant from the Belgian Kids’ Fund (www.belgiankidsfund.be), the David et Alice Van Buuren Fund and by the Fondation Jaumotte-Demoulin. IM and AAS are supported by the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique (FNRS)-Belgium and the Fonds Erasme. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.