title: Reduced relative volume in motor and attention regions in developmental coordination disorder: A voxel-based morphometry study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a prevalent childhood movement disorder, impacting the ability to perform movement skills at an age appropriate level. Although differences in grey matter (GM) volumes have been found in related developmental disorders, no such evidence has been linked with DCD to date. This cross-sectional study assessed structural brain differences in children with and without DCD.
  
  
  METHODS
  High-resolution structural images were acquired from 44 children aged 7.8-12 years, including 22 children with DCD (≤16th percentile on MABC-2; no ADHD/ASD), and 22 typically developing controls (≥20th percentile on MABC-2). Structural voxel-based morphology analysis was performed to determine group differences in focal GM volumes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with DCD were found to have significant, large, right lateralised reductions in grey matter volume in the medial and middle frontal, and superior frontal gyri compared to controls. The addition of motor proficiency as a covariate explained the between-group GM volume differences, suggesting that GM volumes in motor regions are reflective of the level of motor proficiency. A positive correlation between motor proficiency and relative GM volume was also identified in the left posterior cingulate and precuneus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GM volume reductions in premotor frontal regions may underlie the motor difficulties characteristic of DCD. It is possible that intervention approaches targeting motor planning, attention, and executive functioning processes associated with the regions of reduced GM volume may result in functional improvements in children with DCD.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Australia. Electronic address: jessica.reynolds@research.uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Jess E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.affiliation: School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Melissa K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Licari
authors.affiliation: School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Siobhan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.affiliation: School of Occupational Therapy and Social Work, Curtin University, Australia; Child and Adolescent Health Services, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: Neurological Intervention & Imaging Service of Western Australia, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Winsor
authors.affiliation: Neurological Intervention & Imaging Service of Western Australia, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Australia; Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bynevelt
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Jac
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Billington
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Developmental coordination disorder; Grey matter; Neuroimaging; Structural MRI; Voxel-based morphometry