Table 2 Diffusion imaging studies in adults or mixed pediatric/adult samples with ADHD.
STUDY | ADHD participants | Control participants | Imaging method | Main findings | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N | Age | Males (N) | IQ | ADHD presentation (N) | Comorbidities (N) | Drug naïve (N) | N | Age | Males (N) | IQ | (ADHD vs controls and associations) | ||
Bode et al., 2015 | 30 | 22.59 (0.76) | 21 | 98.17 (18.22) | NA | 10 | 30 | 30 | 23.09 (0.64) | 22 | 110.00 (22.48) | TBSS | Increased FA and reduced RD in L forceps minor; reduced AD in the forceps minor and genu of the CC |
Bouziane et al., 2018 (adults) | 48 | 28.59 (4.64) | 48 | 107.86 (7.5) | ADHD-C: 32 ADHD-I: 16 | 0 | 48 | 12 | 25.18 (1.86) | 12 | 108.08 (5.52) | TBSS + ROI | Decreased FA in the bilat SLF, CC and ATR |
Chaim et al., 2014 | 22 | 28.8 (4.9) | 14 | NA | ADHD-C: 10 ADHD-I: 12 | 7 | 22 | 19 | 28.7 (5.4) | 12 | NA | VBA | Increased FA in the bilat SFG, R MFG, L PostCG, bilat CING, bilat MTG and R STG. Reduced trace in the R SFG and bilat MFG, R PreCG, L MOG and bilat CING, as well as the L body and R splenium of the CC, R superior CR, R SLF and R IFOF |
Chaim-Avancini et al., 2017 | 1) whole ADHD sample: 67 2) matched sample: 58 3) males: 52 | 1) 27 (6) 2) 26.9 (5.4) 3) 27 (5.1) | 1) 52 2) 44 3) 44 | NA | 1) ADHD-C: 31 ADHD-I: 36 2) ADHD-C: 28 ADHD-I: 30 3) ADHD-C: 27 ADHD-I: 25 | 12 | 1) 67 2) 58 3) 52 | 2) matched sample: 58 3) males: 44 | 2) 26.7 (5.7) 3) 27 (5.5) | 2) 44 3) 44 | NA | ROI + machine learning | FA and trace was discriminative between ADHD and controls in several bilat WM regions: CST, ILF and SLF, IFOF, UNC, CC, fornix, CING, ATR, superior CR, MCP, and brain stem |
Chiang et al., 2017 | 32 | 23.35 (3.34) | 32 | 109.69 (10.58) | NA | 0 | 18 | 29 | 22.4 (3.3) | 18 | 114.59 (11.06) | TG | No group differences |
Chiang et al., 2022 | 64 | 28.70 (7.85) | 35 | 117.71 (13.12) | NA | NA | 64 | 81 | 28.39 (7.90) | 45 | 114.58 (10.61) | TG | Increased GFA in the L FAT, R ILF, and L perpendicular fasciculus. Reduced GFA in the R SLF I, L SLF II, R FS, R medial lemniscus, R inferior TR and callosal fibers. ASSOC: GFA in the R SLF I and HI symptoms |
Cortese et al., 2013 | 1) whole ADHD sample: 51 2) persisters: 15 3) remitters: 25 | 1) 41.3 (2.8) 2) 41.8 (3) 3) 41.3 (2.6) | 1) 51 2) 15 3) 25 | 1) 101.3 (13.7) 2) 99.3 (13) 3) 103.8 (13.1) | ADHD-C: 3 ADHD-I: 6 ADHD-HI: 6 | 1) 11 2) 4 3) 5 | 4 | 66 | 42.2 (3.1) | 66 | 111.1 (14.3) | TBSS | Reduced FA in the R superior and posterior CR, R SLF, L posterior TR, retrolenticular part of the IC, and sagittal stratum. No difference between ADHD persisters and remitters |
Dramsdahl et al., 2012 | 29 | 32.9 (7.1) | 15 | 110.6 (14.3) | ADHD-C:19 ADHD-I: 7 ADHD-HI: 3 | NA | 13 | 37 | 30 (6.4) | 14 | 116.7 (9.2) | TBSS | Reduced FA in the isthmus/splenium of the CC |
Elliott et al., 2021 | 74 | NA (adolescents/ young adults) | 50 | 106.68 (13.22) | NA | NA | 27 | 81 | NA | 36 | 114.67 (11.34) | TG | Increased structural connectivity between substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area and the limbic striatum, weaker connectivity with the executive striatum. ASSOC: tract integrity and impulsivity |
Gehricke et al., 2017 | 32 | 25.31 (5.22) | 26 | NA | ADHD-C: 18 ADHD-I: 12 ADHD-HI: 2 | 10 | NA | 40 | 23.93 (3.60) | 33 | NA | VBA | Increased FA in the L EC and bilat OR. Decresead FA in the R STG, bilat MTG, R PostCG, CING, CC, bilat temporal stem, and R midbrain. Increased RD in the bilat PostCG, L MTG, CING, R IC, and R midbrain. Reduced RD in the L supraventricular WM and L pons. Increased MD in the L MTG, R IC, R midbrain, and L pons. Reduced MD in the CC and L pons. Increased AD in the R cuneus and R MOG. Reduced AD in the R PreCG, occipital lobe, and brainstem. ASSOC: multiple regions associated with chidhood symptoms (e.g. FA in the L subgyral WM of the frontal lobe and R putamen) and adult symptoms (e.g. FA in the R dentate, L CING, R lingual gyrus, L putamen, and R temporo-occipital gyrus) |
Hearne et al., 2019 | 78 | 26.6 (5.5) | 54 | 107.5 (10.4) | NA | 0 | 78 | 118 | 25.8 (5.0) | 76 | 109.8 (9.3) | TG + network | No group differences in structural connectivity |
Kölle et al., 2022 | 53 | 27 (5.5) | 38 | 113.2 (12.8) | NA | NA | 53 | 50 | 26.2 (5.3) | 32 | 116.2 (11.8) | VBA | Decreased FA in corticothalamic tract. ASSOC: FA with RTV |
Konrad et al., 2010 | 37 | 32.5 (10.3) | 21 | 109.8 (8.7) | ADHD-C: 37 | 0 | 37 | 34 | 30.2 (8.2) | 16 | 111.4 (8.7) | VBA | Reduced FA and increased MD bilaterally in orbitomedial prefrontal WM (including IFOF, ATR, CC) and in the R anterior CING. Increased FA bilaterally in temporal WM (including IFOF and UNC). ASSOC: FA and MD in R SLF with attention. FA R UNC and R ATR and MD in the lingual gyrus with commissions |
Konrad et al., 2012 | 37 | 32.5 (10.3) | 21 | 109.8 (8.7) | ADHD-C: 37 | 0 | 37 | 34 | 30.2 (8.2) | 16 | 111.4 (8.7) | ROI | Reduced FA in the L ILF and increased MD in the L IFOF. ASSOC: MD in the L ILF and attention |
Li et al., 2019 | 40 | 32.1 (10.4) | 21 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 53 | 32.5 (9.2) | 28 | NA | TG + network | Reduced asymmetric regional efficiency in the putamen, rolandic operculum and dorsal SFG. ASSOC: asymmetry scores in putamen, caudate, pallidum, PostCG, OLF and REC and symptom severity or cognitive performance |
Li et al., 2021 | 40 | 32.1 (10.4) | 21 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 51 | 32.4 (9.3) | 27 | NA | TG + network | Leftward asymmetry of PostCG, thalamus, and anterior CING in ADHD group only. ASSOC: asymmetry SFG with cognitive performance, and putamen with symptom severity |
Luo et al., 2020a | 1) whole ADHD sample: 32 2) remitters:16 3) persisters: 16 | 1) 24.66 (2.1) 2) 24.81 (2.3) 3) 24.39 (1.9) | 1) 27 2) 13 3) 14 | 1) 96.81 (14.3) 2) 99.58 (14.2) 3) 94.11 (11.5) | 1) 32 2) 16 3) 16 | NA | 0 | 35 | 24.24 (2.3) | 30 | 104.21 (15) | TG | Decreased volume of the L parieto-insular fibers. Persisters vs remitters: decreased volume R hippocampo-frontal and R parieto-insular tracts and cortico-striatal tracts. ASSOC: FA of L caudate-parietal fibers and HI symptoms |
Luo et al., 2020b | 1) whole ADHD sample: 36 2) remitters:18 3) persisters: 18 | 1) 24.66 (2.0) 2) 24.79 (2.2) 3) 24.52 (2.0) | 1) 30 2) 16 3) 14 | 1) 97.96 (14.1) 2) 99.22 (14.9) 3) 96.71 (13.6) | 1) ADHD-C: 36 | NA | NA | 36 | 24.3 (2.3) | 31 | 103.83 (15.4) | TG + multimodal machine learning | Fetures discriminative between ADHD (whole sample or persisters or remitters) and controls did not include diffusion imaging metrics. |
Makris et al., 2008 | 12 | 41.3 (2.1) | 7 | NA | NA | NA | 11 | 17 | 40.5 (2.1) | 8 | NA | ROI | Reduced FA in the R CING and SLF II |
Ohta et al., 2020 | 55 | 31.2 (8.8) | 42 | 106.3 (12.5) | NA | 0 | 23 | 58 | 29.4 (6.7) | 49 | 107.7 (7.7) | TBSS | Reduced FA and increased RD in the CC. ASSOC: RD and sensory sensitivity |
Onnink et al., 2015 | 107 | 35 (10.30) | 41 | 108.13 (14.43) | NA | 10 | 20 | 109 | 36.08 (10.97) | 47 | 110.97 (15.36) | TBSS | Reduced FA in CC, bilat CR, and TR. Higher MD and RD in overlapping regios, also encompassing IC and EC, saggital stratum, fornix, and SLF. ASSOC: FA and MD with impulsivity |
Schweren et al., 2016 | 172 | 17.39 (3.05) [9-26] | 116 | 96.62 (13.67) | ADHD-C: 66 ADHD-I: 82 ADHD-HI: 15 | 54 | 18 | 96 | 16.96 (3.26) | 56 | 106.47 (14.09) | TG | Reduced FA in orbitofrontal-striatal tract |
Shaw et al., 2015 | 1) persisters: 32 remitters: 43 | 1) 23.3 (3.7) 2) 24.1 (3.9) | 1) 13 2) 26 | 1) 111 (12) 2) 114 (14) | NA | 1) 9 2) 5 | NA | 74 | 24 (3.3) | 44 | 113 (11) | tract-based analysis | ADHD persisters: reduced FA in the bilat UNC and R IFOF. No differences between remitters and controls. ASSOC: FA in the L IFOF and UNC; RD in the bilat IFOF, UNC and SLF; and AD in the R ILF with inattentive symptoms |
Sidlauskaite et al., 2015 | 18 | 30.11 (9.78) | 9 | 112.05 (13.99) | ADHD-C: 12 ADHD-I: 6 | NA | NA | 21 | 26.95 (8.52) | 12 | 116.90 (11.24) | TG + network | Preserved global but altered local network organization. Affected nodes included superior occipital, supramarginal, superior temporal, inferior parietal, angular and IFG, as well as putamen, thalamus and posterior cerebellum. ASSOC: ADHD symptom severity |
Tung et al., 2021 | 279 | 18.03 (8.3) [5–40] | 205 | 106.6 (12) | NA | 0 | NA | 626 | 20.16 (8.5) | 376 | 110 (11) | TG | Widespread GFA reductions, including splenium of the CC. Females vs males: lower GFA in the CC, L SLF II and III, bilat frontostriatal and R IFOF |
van Ewijk et al., 2014 | 170 | 17.3 (3.3) [8-30] | 115 | 97.8 (14.7) | 96 | 50 | 17 | 107 | 16.4 (3.1) | 52 | 104.5 (13.7) | TBSS | Reduced FA in the L ATR and ILF; bilat CST, IC and SLF; R IFOF; CC (body, slenium, isthmus), forceps major; L temporal WM. Increased MD in the R CST, ILF, IFOF, SLF and IFOF. ASSOC: increased FA and reduced MD in widespread areas were associated with symptom severity |
van Ewijk et al., 2015 | 1) whole ADHD sampe: 113 | [14-24] | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 73 | [14-24] | NA | NA | TBSS | Widespread areas of reduced FA, similar to previous findings in a partly overlapping sample (van Ewijk et al., 2014) |
van Ewijk et al., 2017 | 1) whole ADHD sample: 187 2) risk genotype (S/S): 40 3) other genotype (S/L): 147 | [8–26] | 1) 126 2) 26 3) 100 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 1) 103 2) 20 3) 83 | [8–26] | 1) 51 2) 9 3) 42 | NA | TBSS | Reduced FA and MD in widespread WM areas similar to previous findings in a partly overlapping sample (van Ewijk et al., 2014) |
Versace et al., 2021 | 126 | 34.3 (3.6) | 113 | 100.1 (14.9) | NA | NA | NA | 58 | 33.9 (4.1) | 53 | 110.2 (13.2) | TG | Reduced FA in the L ILF and bilat CING. ADHD persisters had lower FA in the L ILF than remitters |
Wang et al., 2021 | 42 | 32.12 (10.37) | 23 | NA | NA | NA | NA | 59 | 31.85 (9.43) | 32 | NA | TG + network | Lower global efficiency and reduced density of rich-clubs among structural hub nodes, including the bilat precuneus, insula, caudate, L putamen, and R calcarine |
Wolfers et al., 2015 | 101 | 35.83 (11.16) | 38 | 108.08 (14.92) | NA | 12 | 16 | 96 | 36.17 (11.17) | 41 | 109.68 (15.34) | TBSS | ASSOC: FA in the R SLF and RTV |
Wolfers et al., 2017 | 87 | 32.9 (9.5) | 27 | 109.4 (15.9) | NA | NA | NA | 93 | 35.1 (11.7) | 27 | 107.8 (14.9) | TBSS + multimodal | Main multimodal marker of ADHD linked to morphological and microstructural effects within anterior temporal brain regions. |
Yoncheva et al., 2016 (adults) | 42 | 31.65 (9.8) | 24 | 111.1 (11.8) | ADHD-C: 23 ADHD-I: 18 | 7 | 14 | 65 | 31.06 (9.0) | 42 | 110.9 (10.6) | TBSS | Reduced global FA, AD, MD and MA. ASSOC: global MA and symptom severity. |
