Preliminary evidence for a lower brain age in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a debilitating disorder with apparent roots in abnormal brain development. Here, we quantified the level of individual brain maturation in children with ADHD using structural neuroimaging and a recently developed machine learning algorithm. More specifically, we compared the BrainAGE index between three groups matched for chronological age (mean +/- SD: 11.86 +/- 3.25 years): 89 children diagnosed with ADHD, 34 asymptomatic siblings of those children with ADHD, and 21 unrelated healthy control children. Brains of children with ADHD were estimated significantly younger (-0.85 years) than brains of healthy controls (Cohen's d = -0.33; p = 0.028, one-tailed), while there were no significant differences between unaffected siblings and healthy controls. In addition, more severe ADHD symptoms were significantly associated with younger appearing brains. Altogether, these results are in line with the proposed delay of individual brain maturation in children with ADHD. However, given the relatively small sample size (N = 144), the findings should be considered preliminary and need to be confirmed in future studies.

Levitt, Jennifer G. G.Univ Calif Los Angeles, Semel Inst Neurosci & Human Behav, Div Child & Adolescent Psychiat, Los Angeles, CA USA. (author)
Gaser, ChristianJena Univ Hosp, Dept Psychiat & Psychotherapy, Jena, Germany.;Jena Univ Hosp, Dept Neurol, Jena, Germany. (author)
Alger, JeffryUniv Calif Los Angeles, Dept Neurol, Los Angeles, CA USA. (author)
Loo, Sandra K. K.Univ Calif Los Angeles, Semel Inst Neurosci & Human Behav, Div Child & Adolescent Psychiat, Los Angeles, CA USA.;Univ Calif Los Angeles, Brain Res Inst, Los Angeles, CA USA. (author)
Narr, Katherine L. L.Univ Calif Los Angeles, Dept Neurol, Los Angeles, CA USA.;Univ Calif Los Angeles, Brain Res Inst, Los Angeles, CA USA. (author)
O'Neill, JosephUniv Calif Los Angeles, Semel Inst Neurosci & Human Behav, Div Child & Adolescent Psychiat, Los Angeles, CA USA.;Univ Calif Los Angeles, Brain Res Inst, Los Angeles, CA USA. (author)
Lueders, EileenUppsala universitet,Reproduktiv hälsa,Univ Auckland, Sch Psychol, Auckland, New Zealand.;Univ Southern Calif, Sch Med, Lab Neuro Imaging, Los Angeles, CA USA.(Swepub:uu)eillu491 (author)
Univ Auckland, Sch Psychol, Auckland, New Zealand.Univ Calif Los Angeles, Semel Inst Neurosci & Human Behav, Div Child & Adolescent Psychiat, Los Angeles, CA USA. (creator_code:org_t)

By the author/editor: Kurth, Florian; Levitt, Jennifer ...; Gaser, Christian; Alger, Jeffry; Loo, Sandra K. K ...; Narr, Katherine ...; show more...; O'Neill, Joseph; Lueders, Eileen; show less...

About the subject

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Clinical Medicin ...; and Psychiatry

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Clinical Medicin ...; and Pediatrics

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