title: Characterizing heterogeneity in children with and without ADHD based on reward system connectivity.
abstract: One potential obstacle limiting our ability to clarify ADHD etiology is the heterogeneity within the disorder, as well as in typical samples. In this study, we utilized a community detection approach on 106 children with and without ADHD (aged 7-12 years), in order to identify potential subgroups of participants based on the connectivity of the reward system. Children with ADHD were compared to typically developing children within each identified community, aiming to find the community-specific ADHD characteristics. Furthermore, to assess how the organization in subgroups relates to behavior, we evaluated delay-discounting gradient and impulsivity-related temperament traits within each community. We found that discrete subgroups were identified that characterized distinct connectivity profiles in the reward system. Importantly, which connections were atypical in ADHD relative to the control children were specific to the community membership. Our findings showed that children with ADHD and typically developing children could be classified into distinct subgroups according to brain functional connectivity. Results also suggested that the differentiation in "functional" subgroups is related to specific behavioral characteristics, in this case impulsivity. Thus, combining neuroimaging data and community detection might be a valuable approach to elucidate heterogeneity in ADHD etiology and examine ADHD neurobiology.
authors: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, USA; Institute of Psychiatry, Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: tacigcdias@gmail.com.
authors: Taciana G
authors: TG
authors: Costa Dias
authors: Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA.
authors: Swathi P
authors: SP
authors: Iyer
authors: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, USA.
authors: Samuel D
authors: SD
authors: Carpenter
authors: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, USA.
authors: Robert P
authors: RP
authors: Cary
authors: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, USA.
authors: Vanessa B
authors: VB
authors: Wilson
authors: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, USA.
authors: Suzanne H
authors: SH
authors: Mitchell
authors: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, USA.
authors: Joel T
authors: JT
authors: Nigg
authors: Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, USA; Advanced Imaging Research Center, Oregon Health & Science University, USA. Electronic address: faird@ohsu.edu.
authors: Damien A
authors: DA
authors: Fair
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology*; D059906:Neuroimaging; D012201:Reward; D013694:Temperament
keywords: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Community detection; Delay discounting; Functional connectivity; Nucleus accumbens; RDoC