title: Common white matter microstructure alterations in pediatric motor and attention disorders.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize white matter alterations in children with isolated or concurrent developmental coordination disorder and/or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared with typically-developing controls, and to determine whether group differences on motor and attention tasks could be explained by differences in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cohort of children (n = 85) with developmental coordination disorder, ADHD, or combined developmental coordination disorder+ADHD, we examined 3 major white matter tracts involved in attention and motor processes. Using DTI, the corpus callosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and cingulum were analyzed with respect to measures of white matter integrity. Differences in fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity, radial diffusivity, and axial diffusivity were analyzed using ANOVA. Motor and attentional functioning was assessed using standardized tests, and correlated to DTI measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FA reductions were noted in the frontal regions of the corpus callosum for children with ADHD (P = .039), whereas children with developmental coordination disorder displayed similar reductions in regions of the corpus callosum underlying parietal brain regions (P = .040), as well as the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (P = .026). White matter integrity was impacted in both frontal and parietal regions for children with comorbid developmental coordination disorder+ADHD (P = .029; .046). FA was positively correlated with scores on both motor and attentional assessments in a region-specific manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that alterations in the corpus callosum underlie difficulties in motor and attention functioning. These changes are functionally and regionally distinct and could reflect a neurobiological basis for motor and attention disorders in children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Behavioral Research Unit, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Electronic address: lisamarie.langevin@albertahealthservices.ca.
authors.forename: Lisa Marie
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Langevin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Behavioral Research Unit, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; The Mathison Center for Mental Health Research and Education, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Frank P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Macmaster
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Behavioral Research Unit, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.affiliation: Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lebel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Behavioral Research Unit, Alberta Children's Hospital, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dewey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011596:Psychomotor Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography