MRI Detects Altered Brain Connectivity in ADHD
Functional MRI has detected alteration in the areas of the brain that correlate with executive functioning,in boys with ADHD.
Magnetic resonance images (MRI) have detected altered brain connectivity in the large-scale resting networks in the brains of boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a study published in the journal Radiology.
Researchers in China performed a prospective study of 33 boys with ADHD, aged from six to 16, and 32 healthy control subjects, aged eight to 16. All subjects underwent resting-state functional MRI (fMRI). The researchers examined regional neural function and functional integration.
The results showed that the subjects with ADHD exhibited impaired executive function, compared with the control subjects.
The subjects with ADHD had:
• Lower amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALLF) in the left orbitofrontal cortex
• Lower ALLF in the left ventral superior frontal gyrus
• Higher ALLF in the left globus pallidus
• Higher ALLF in the right globus pallidus
• Higher ALLF in the right dorsal superior frontal gyrus
• Lower long-range functional connectivity (FC) in the frontoparietal and frontocerebellar networks
• Higher FC in the frontostriatal circuit
“Our study suggests that the structural and functional abnormalities in these brain regions might cause the inattention and hyperactivity of the patients with ADHD, and we are doing further analysis on their correlation with the clinical symptoms,” coauthor Qiyong Gong, MD, PhD, said in a release. “Our preliminary results show the association between imaging findings and symptoms.” Gong is a neuroradiologist from the Department of Radiology at West China Hospital of Sichuan University in Sichuan, China.
Larger studies are needed to validate the results and the researchers plan to study changes in connectivity over time in ADHD patients and explore the potential differences of functional connectivity between the clinical subtypes of ADHD, such as inattentiveness and hyperactivity.
Newsletter
Stay at the forefront of radiology with the Diagnostic Imaging newsletter, delivering the latest news, clinical insights, and imaging advancements for today’s radiologists.
Large Medicare Study Shows Black Men Less Likely to Receive PET and MRI for Prostate Cancer Imaging
August 2nd 2025An analysis of over 749,000 Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with prostate cancer over a five-year period found that Black men were 13 percent less likely to receive PET imaging and 16 percent less likely to receive MRI in comparison to White men.
The Reading Room Podcast: Current and Emerging Insights on Abbreviated Breast MRI, Part 3
August 2nd 2025In the last of a three-part podcast episode, Stamatia Destounis, MD, Emily Conant, MD and Habib Rahbar, MD, share additional insights on practical considerations and potential challenges in integrating abbreviated breast MRI into clinical practice, and offer their thoughts on future research directions.
The Reading Room Podcast: A Closer Look at Remote MRI Safety, Part 3
August 2nd 2025In the third of a three-part podcast episode, Emanuel Kanal, M.D. and Tobias Gilk, MRSO, MRSE, discuss strategies for maintaining the integrity of time-out procedures and communication with remote MRI scanning.
Study Reveals Significant Prevalence of Abnormal PET/MRI and Dual-Energy CT Findings with Long Covid
August 2nd 2025In a prospective study involving nearly 100 patients with Long Covid, 57 percent of patients had PET/MRI abnormalities and 90 percent of the cohort had abnormalities on dual-energy CT scans.
