Changes of gray matter volume and brain functional connectivity in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder comorbid with oppositional defiant disorder / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To analyze the changes of gray matter volume and resting-state functional connectivity in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) comorbid with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD).Methods:A total of 22 ADHD comorbid with ODD children (ADHD-ODD group, n=22) were selected from a public-assess resting-state fMRI ADHD cohort, namely, ADHD-200.Meanwhile, 22 age- and sex- matched ADHD children without ODD (ADHD group, n=22) and 22 healthy children(control group, n=22) were also included.T1-weighted MRI and resting-state fMRI scans were performed on all of the participants.The voxel-based morphometric (VBM) method was used to compare the volume of gray matter in three groups.The gray matter with aberrant volume was set as the region of interest(ROI) for mapping the functional connectivity of the whole brain.For comparison of gray matter volumes, one-way ANOVA and two-sample t-test analysis were applied, while two-sample t-test analysis was used for comparison of functional connectivity. Results:Compared with the control group, ADHD-ODD group showed decreased gray matter volume in the left cerebellum anterior lobe (MNI coordinate x, y, z=-19.5, -42, -18) and right cerebellum anterior lobe (MNI coordinate x, y, z=19.5, -39, -21). The left cerebellum anterior lobe showed increased functional connectivity with left superior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus (MNI coordinate x, y, z=-24, 19, 43), right superior frontal gyrus, right middle frontal gyrus (MNI coordinate x, y, z=30, 9, 45) and bilateral precuneus, posterior cingulate gyrus(MNI coordinate x, y, z=-6, -35, 24). Compared with the ADHD group, ADHD-ODD group showed decreased gray matter volume in the right cerebellum anterior lobe (MNI coordinate x, y, z=19.5, -37.5, -22.5). The right cerebellum anterior lobe showed increased functional connectivity with bilateral superior frontal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyrus, bilateral medial frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus and posterior cingulate gyrus(MNI coordinate x, y, z=18, -12, 42), bilateral cuneus, bilateral lingual gyrus(MNI coordinate x, y, z=9, -87, 27).Conclusion:ADHD comorbid with ODD children show decreased cerebellum volume and excessive functional connectivity with several brain regions of the cerebral hemispheres, which may be one of the neuropathological bases of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral disorders.