title: Microstructural abnormalities of the brain white matter in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is an early-onset neurodevelopmental disorder with multiple behavioural problems and executive dysfunctions for which neuroimaging studies have reported a variety of abnormalities, with inconsistencies partly owing to confounding by medication and concurrent psychiatric disease. We aimed to investigate the microstructural abnormalities of white matter in unmedicated children and adolescents with pure ADHD and to explore the association between these abnormalities and behavioural symptoms and executive functions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed children and adolescents with ADHD and healthy controls using psychiatric interviews. Behavioural problems were rated using the revised Conners' Parent Rating Scale, and executive functions were measured using the Stroop Colour-Word Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting test. We acquired diffusion tensor imaging data using a 3 T MRI system, and we compared diffusion parameters, including fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean, axial and radial diffusivities, between the 2 groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three children and adolescents with ADHD and 35 healthy controls were included in our study. In patients compared with controls, FA was increased in the left posterior cingulum bundle as a result of both increased axial diffusivity and decreased radial diffusivity. In addition, the averaged FA of the cluster in this region correlated with behavioural measures as well as executive function in patients with ADHD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study was limited by its cross-sectional design and small sample size. The cluster size of the significant result was small.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that white matter abnormalities within the limbic network could be part of the neural underpinning of behavioural problems and executive dysfunction in patients with ADHD.
authors: Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors: Lizhou
authors: L
authors: Chen
authors: Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors: Xiaoqi
authors: X
authors: Huang
authors: Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors: Du
authors: D
authors: Lei
authors: Department of Psychiatry, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors: Ning
authors: N
authors: He
authors: Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors: Xinyu
authors: X
authors: Hu
authors: Department of Psychiatry, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Psychiatry, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors: Yuanyuan
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Department of Psychiatry, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors: Jinbo
authors: J
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Psychiatry, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors: Lanting
authors: L
authors: Guo
authors: Magnetic Resonance and Image Analysis Research Centre and Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, UK.
authors: Graham J
authors: GJ
authors: Kemp
authors: Huaxi MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
authors: Qi-Yong
authors: QY
authors: Gong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D066127:White Matter / Q000473:pathology*