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Akeret K, van Niftrik CHB, Sebök M, Muscas G, Visser T, Staartjes VE, Marinoni F, Serra C, Regli L, Krayenbühl N, Piccirelli M, Fierstra J. Topographic volume-standardization atlas of the human brain. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:1699-1711. [PMID: 33961092 PMCID: PMC8203509 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02280-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Specific anatomical patterns are seen in various diseases affecting the brain. Clinical studies on the topography of pathologies are often limited by the absence of a normalization of the prevalence of pathologies to the relative volume of the affected anatomical structures. A comprehensive reference on the relative volumes of clinically relevant anatomical structures serving for such a normalization, is currently lacking. The analyses are based on anatomical high-resolution three-dimensional T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data of 30 healthy Caucasian volunteers, including 14 females (mean age 37.79 years, SD 13.04) and 16 males (mean age 38.31 years, SD 16.91). Semi-automated anatomical segmentation was used, guided by a neuroanatomical parcellation algorithm differentiating 96 structures. Relative volumes were derived by normalizing parenchymal structures to the total individual encephalic volume and ventricular segments to the total individual ventricular volume. The present investigation provides the absolute and relative volumes of 96 anatomical parcellation units of the human encephalon. A larger absolute volume in males than in females is found for almost all parcellation units. While parenchymal structures display a trend towards decreasing volumes with increasing age, a significant inverse effect is seen with the ventricular system. The variances in volumes as well as the effects of gender and age are given for each structure before and after normalization. The provided atlas constitutes an anatomically detailed and comprehensive analysis of the absolute and relative volumes of the human encephalic structures using a clinically oriented parcellation algorithm. It is intended to serve as a reference for volume-standardization in clinical studies on the topographic prevalence of pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Akeret
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Christiaan Hendrik Bas van Niftrik
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martina Sebök
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giovanni Muscas
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Visser
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Victor E Staartjes
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Federica Marinoni
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carlo Serra
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Luca Regli
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Niklaus Krayenbühl
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland.,Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Marco Piccirelli
- Department of Neuroradiology, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jorn Fierstra
- Department of Neurosurgery, Clinical Neuroscience Center, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland
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Wang Y, Zuo C, Xu Q, Hao L, Zhang Y. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is characterized by a delay in subcortical maturation. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 104:110044. [PMID: 32693001 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2020.110044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 06/12/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Although previous studies have found that ADHD is characterized by a delay in cortical maturation, it is not clear whether this phenomenon was secondary to developmental trajectories in subcortical regions (caudate, putamen, pallidum, thalamus, hippocampus and amygdala). Using the ADHD-200 dataset, we estimated subcortical volumes in 339 individuals with ADHD and 568 typically developing controls. We defined the growth trajectory of each subcortical structure, delineating a phase of childhood increase followed by an adolescent decrease in subcortical volumes using a quadratic growth model. From these trajectories, the age of attaining peak subcortical volumes was derived and used as an index of subcortical maturation. We found that subcortical structures (caudate, putamen, pallidum, thalamus, hippocampus and amygdala) followed curvilinear trajectories similar to those reported in previous studies. The volumes of these subcortical structures in ADHD were also delayed in the developmental trajectory, which suggested that ADHD may be characterized by a delay in subcortical maturation. This delay may lead to a shift in which individuals with ADHD go through the process of pruning the nerve connections that is part of the normal maturation process during adolescence. Further, we also found that the asymmetric development of subcortical structures was abnormal in ADHD, which resulted from the imbalance of the maturation delay of bilateral subcortical structures. The subcortical maturation delay may play an important role in the pathophysiology of ADHD. Our findings provide new potential targets to investigate the pathophysiology of ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanpei Wang
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Special Children's Impairment and Intervention, Nanjing Normal University of Special Education, Nanjing, China; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Chenyi Zuo
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Qinfang Xu
- Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Special Children's Impairment and Intervention, Nanjing Normal University of Special Education, Nanjing, China; State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
| | - Lei Hao
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China; IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuning Zhang
- Centre for Innovation in Mental Health, University of Southampton, UK.
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Boon HJ. What do ADHD Neuroimaging Studies Reveal for Teachers, Teacher Educators and Inclusive Education? CHILD & YOUTH CARE FORUM 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10566-019-09542-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Karim TJ, Aksel C, Kharas N, Reyes-Vasquez C, Dafny N. Caudate nucleus neurons participate in methylphenidate function: Behavioral and neuronal recordings from freely behaving adolescent rats. Brain Res Bull 2018; 142:241-252. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 07/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Gender differences in anomalous subcortical morphology for children with ADHD. Neurosci Lett 2018; 665:176-181. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2017.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2017] [Revised: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Acer N, Dolu N, Zararsiz G, Dogan MS, Gumus K, Ozmen S, Kara AY, Soysal H, Per H, Bilgen M. Anatomical characterization of ADHD using an atlas-based analysis: A diffusion tensor imaging study. THE EUROBIOTECH JOURNAL 2017. [DOI: 10.24190/issn2564-615x/2017/01.08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose: To examine brain diffusion characteristics in pediatric patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and an atlas-based anatomical analysis of the whole brain and to investigate whether these images have unique characteristics that can support functional diagnoses. Materials and Methods: Seventeen children with ADHD and ten control subjects (all age-matched) underwent MRI scans. The Institutional Ethics Board approved this study. Morphometric analysis was performed using MriStudio software. The diffusion images were normalized using a linear transformation, followed by large deformation diffeomorphic metric mapping (LDDMM). For 189 parcellated brain regions, the volume, fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) were measured. Results: Children with ADHD were found to have increase in the body of lateral ventricle volumes compared to the control. Increased MD was found in the deep gray matter, amygdala, thalamus, substantia nigra, and also the cerebellum left and right side. Increased RD was found in the deep gray matter, caudate, thalamus, substantia nigra and hippocampus left and right side compared to the control. Significant elevated FA was found in the bilateral splenium of the corpus callosum in ADHD patients. Conclusion: Children with ADHD display abnormal diffusion characteristics and anatomical features compared to healthy controls. DTI can provide sensitive information on integrity of white matter (WM) and intra-WM structures in ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niyazi Acer
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri , Turkey
| | - Nazan Dolu
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri , Turkey
| | - Gokmen Zararsiz
- Departmentof Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri , Turkey
| | - Mehmet Sait Dogan
- Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri , Turkey
| | - Kazim Gumus
- Biomedical Imaging Research Center, Erciyes University, Kayseri , Turkey
| | - Sevgi Ozmen
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri , Turkey
| | - Ali Yucel Kara
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri , Turkey
| | - Handan Soysal
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent University, Ankara , Turkey
| | - Huseyin Per
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Erciyes University, Kayseri , Turkey
| | - Mehmet Bilgen
- Department of Biophysics, Medical Faculty, Adnan Menderes University, Aydin , Turkey
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Vilgis V, Sun L, Chen J, Silk TJ, Vance A. Global and local grey matter reductions in boys with ADHD combined type and ADHD inattentive type. Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging 2016; 254:119-126. [PMID: 27399309 DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2016.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 06/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has reliably been associated with global grey matter reductions but local alterations are largely inconsistent with perhaps the exception of the caudate nucleus. The aim of this study was to examine local and global brain volume differences between typically developing children (TD) and children with a diagnosis of ADHD. We also addressed whether these parameters would differ between children with the ADHD-combined type (ADHD-C) and those with the ADHD-inattentive type (ADHD-I). Using an ROI approach caudate volume differences were also examined. 79 boys between the ages of 8 and 17 participated in the study. Of those 33 met diagnostic criteria for the ADHD-C and 15 for the ADHD-I subtype. 31 boys were included in the TD group. Structural magnetic resonance imaging data were analysed using voxel-based morphometry. The ADHD group had significantly lower global and local grey matter volumes within clusters in the bilateral frontal, right parietal and right temporal regions compared to TD. A significant group by age interaction was found for right caudate nucleus volume. No differences between the ADHD-C and ADHD-I groups were found. Right caudate nucleus volume and age are more strongly related in ADHD than in TD consistent with previous research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Vilgis
- Academic Child Psychiatry Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville Australia; Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
| | - Li Sun
- Institute of Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Ministry of Health, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Jian Chen
- Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
| | - Timothy J Silk
- Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Australia
| | - Alasdair Vance
- Academic Child Psychiatry Unit, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville Australia; Developmental Imaging, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Parkville, Australia.
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Yang XR, Carrey N, Bernier D, MacMaster FP. Cortical Thickness in Young Treatment-Naive Children With ADHD. J Atten Disord 2015; 19:925-30. [PMID: 22912507 DOI: 10.1177/1087054712455501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the cortical thickness in areas of the brain that are hypothesized to be involved in response inhibition and error-monitoring behaviors. The authors hypothesized that children with ADHD would have a thinner prefrontal cortex (PFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) than healthy children. METHOD In all, 25 ADHD and 25 healthy control male children (5-12 years) underwent magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS The authors found thinner right superior frontal gyrus in ADHD patients compared with controls (t = 2.01, df = 45, p = .049). The older children with ADHD drove this effect when participants were further subdivided into a younger and older age group (older participants: p = .004; younger participants: p = ns). CONCLUSION These findings have implications for the developmental trajectory of the frontal lobe in ADHD.
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Blasco-Fontecilla H, Gonzalez-Perez M, Garcia-Lopez R, Poza-Cano B, Perez-Moreno MR, de Leon-Martinez V, Otero-Perez J. Efficacy of chess training for the treatment of ADHD: A prospective, open label study. REVISTA DE PSIQUIATRIA Y SALUD MENTAL 2015; 9:13-21. [PMID: 25911280 DOI: 10.1016/j.rpsm.2015.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2014] [Revised: 12/21/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the effectiveness of playing chess as a treatment option for children with ADHD. METHODS Parents of 44 children ages 6 to 17 with a primary diagnosis of ADHD consented to take part in the study. Parents completed the Spanish version of the Swanson, Nolan and Pelham Scale for parents (SNAP-IV) and the Abbreviated Conner's Rating Scales for parents (CPRS-HI) prior to an 11-week chess-training program. We used a paired t-test to compare pre- and post-intervention outcomes, and Cohen-d calculations to measure the magnitude of the effect. The statistical significance was set at P<.05. RESULTS Children with ADHD improved in both the SNAP-IV (t=6.23; degrees of freedom (df)=41; P<.001) and the CPRS-HI (t=5.39; df=33; P<.001). Our results suggest a large effect in decreasing the severity of ADHD as measured by the SNAP-IV (d=0.85) and the CPRS-HI (d=0.85). Furthermore, we found a correlation between intelligence quotient and SNAP-IV improvement (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS The results of our pilot study should be interpreted with caution. This pilot project highlights the importance of carrying out larger studies with a case-control design. If our results are replicated in better designed studies, playing chess could be included within the multimodal treatment of ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilario Blasco-Fontecilla
- Centro de Salud Mental de Villalba, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda (IDIPHIM)-Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, España; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Madrid, España; Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España; Consulting Asistencial Sociosanitario (CAS).
| | - Marisa Gonzalez-Perez
- Centro de Salud Mental de Villalba, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda (IDIPHIM)-Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, España
| | - Raquel Garcia-Lopez
- Centro de Salud Mental de Villalba, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda (IDIPHIM)-Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, España
| | - Belen Poza-Cano
- Centro de Salud Mental de Villalba, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda (IDIPHIM)-Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, España
| | | | - Victoria de Leon-Martinez
- Departamento de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IIS)-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, España
| | - Jose Otero-Perez
- Centro de Salud Mental de Villalba, Departamento de Psiquiatría, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Puerta de Hierro Majadahonda (IDIPHIM)-Hospital Universitario Puerta de Hierro, Madrid, España
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Abstract
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are two of the most common neuropsychiatric diseases in paediatric populations. The high comorbidity of ADHD and OCD with each other, especially of ADHD in paediatric OCD, is well described. OCD and ADHD often follow a chronic course with persistent rates of at least 40–50 %. Family studies showed high heritability in ADHD and OCD, and some genetic findings showed similar variants for both disorders of the same pathogenetic mechanisms, whereas other genetic findings may differentiate between ADHD and OCD. Neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies suggest that partly similar executive functions are affected in both disorders. The deficits in the corresponding brain networks may be responsible for the perseverative, compulsive symptoms in OCD but also for the disinhibited and impulsive symptoms characterizing ADHD. This article reviews the current literature of neuroimaging, neurochemical circuitry, neuropsychological and genetic findings considering similarities as well as differences between OCD and ADHD.
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Farr OM, Hu S, Matuskey D, Zhang S, Abdelghany O, Li CSR. The effects of methylphenidate on cerebral activations to salient stimuli in healthy adults. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2014; 22:154-65. [PMID: 24188171 PMCID: PMC4105943 DOI: 10.1037/a0034465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Detection of a salient stimulus is critical to cognitive functioning. A stimulus is salient when it appears infrequently, carries high motivational value, and/or when it dictates changes in behavior. Individuals with neurological conditions that implicate altered catecholaminergic signaling, such as those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, are impaired in detecting salient stimuli, a deficit that can be remediated by catecholaminergic medications. However, the effects of these catecholaminergic agents on cerebral activities during saliency processing within the context of the stop-signal task are not clear. Here, we examined the effects of a single oral dose (45 mg) of methylphenidate in 24 healthy adults performing the stop-signal task during functional MRI (fMRI). Compared to 92 demographically matched adults who did not receive any medications, the methylphenidate group showed higher activations in bilateral caudate head, primary motor cortex, and the right inferior parietal cortex during stop as compared to go trials (p < .05, corrected for family-wise error of multiple comparisons). These results show that methylphenidate enhances saliency processing by promoting specific cerebral regional activities. These findings may suggest a neural basis for catecholaminergic treatment of attention disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia M. Farr
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
| | - Sien Hu
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519
| | - David Matuskey
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519
| | - Sheng Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519
| | - Osama Abdelghany
- Investigational Drug Service, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, CT 06519
| | - Chiang-shan R. Li
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520,Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06519,Department of Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520
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Hill SY, Lichenstein S, Wang S, Carter H, McDermott M. Caudate Volume in Offspring at Ultra High Risk for Alcohol Dependence: COMT Val158Met, DRD2, Externalizing Disorders, and Working Memory. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 3:43-54. [PMID: 25364629 DOI: 10.4236/ami.2013.34007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is emerging evidence that the increased susceptibility to developing alcohol and substance use disorders in those with a family history of Alcohol Dependence (AD) may be related to structural differences in brain circuits that influence the salience of rewards or modify the efficiency of information processing. Externalizing disorders of childhood including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Conduct and Oppositional Disorders are a prominent feature of those with a positive family history. The caudate nuclei have been implicated in both the salience of rewards and in the pathophysiology of alcohol dependence and these often antecedent childhood disorders. METHODS Adolescent/young adult high and low-risk for AD offspring (N = 130) were studied using magnetic resonance imaging. Volumes of the caudate nucleus were obtained using manual tracing with BRAINS2 software and neuropsychological functioning determined. Childhood disorders were assessed as part of a long-term longitudinal follow-up that includes young adult assessment. Dopaminergic variation was assessed using genotypic variation in the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and DRD2 genes. RESULTS High-risk subjects showed poorer Working Memory functioning. Cau-date volume did not differ between high and low-risk subjects, but those with externalizing disorders of childhood showed reduced caudate volume. Variation in COMT and DRD2 genes was associated with Working Memory performance and caudate volume. CONCLUSIONS Caudate volume is reduced in association with externalizing disorders of childhood/adolescence. Working Memory deficits appear in familial high-risk offspring and those with externalizing disorders of childhood. The dopaminergic system appears to be involved in both working memory performance and externalizing disorders of childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Y Hill
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA ; Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Sarah Lichenstein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA ; Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Shuhui Wang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Howard Carter
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Michael McDermott
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, USA
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