Structural and functional brain imaging in adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a childhood disorder that persists into adulthood. Nevertheless, there are far fewer imaging studies in adult compared with childhood ADHD. Here we review the imaging literature on brain structure, function and structural and functional connectivity in adult ADHD, as well as the effects of psychostimulants on brain dysfunctions. Importantly, we discuss similarities and differences between these deficit findings and those in childhood ADHD to address the key question of continuity of brain abnormalities into adulthood. Findings show strikingly similar but more inconsistent abnormalities in adult ADHD in key childhood ADHD deficit areas of frontostriatal, temporoparietal and cerebellar regions, presumably due to highly prevalent confounding factors in adult ADHD of elevated rates of comorbidity and medication history.

Keywords::

• adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• attention
• basal ganglia
• cerebellum
• frontal lobe
• functional connectivity
• functional MRI
• inhibition
• magnetic resonance imaging
• MRI
• near-infrared spectroscopy
• parietal lobes
• positron emission tomography

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Ana Cubillo was funded by the Alicia Koplowitz Foundation and by a PhD studentship grant by the Department of Health via the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Specialist Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) for Mental Health award to South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) and the IOP at KCL, London. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.