A multi-methodological MR resting state network analysis to assess the changes in brain physiology of children with ADHD

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 9; no. 6; p. e99119
• Main Authors: Alonso, Benito de Celis, Hidalgo Tobón, Silvia, Dies Suarez, Pilar, García Flores, Julio, de Celis Carrillo, Benito, Barragán Pérez, Eduardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 19.06.2014; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Adults; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - diagnostic imaging; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity - physiopathology; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Biology and Life Sciences; Brain; Brain Mapping; Cerebellum; Cerebellum - diagnostic imaging; Cerebellum - physiopathology; Child; Children; Cortex (parietal); Data compression; Executive function; Female; Frontal lobe; Frontal Lobe - diagnostic imaging; Frontal Lobe - physiopathology; Humans; Hyperactivity; Image analysis; Image processing; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical diagnosis; Medicine and Health Sciences; Network analysis; Networks; Neural networks; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Patients; Physical Sciences; Physiology; Radiography; Rest - physiology; Schizophrenia; Statistical analysis; Studies
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0099119

The purpose of this work was to highlight the neurological differences between the MR resting state networks of a group of children with ADHD (pre-treatment) and an age-matched healthy group. Results were obtained using different image analysis techniques. A sample of n = 46 children with ages between 6 and 12 years were included in this study (23 per cohort). Resting state image analysis was performed using ReHo, ALFF and ICA techniques. ReHo and ICA represent connectivity analyses calculated with different mathematical approaches. ALFF represents an indirect measurement of brain activity. The ReHo and ICA analyses suggested differences between the two groups, while the ALFF analysis did not. The ReHo and ALFF analyses presented differences with respect to the results previously reported in the literature. ICA analysis showed that the same resting state networks that appear in healthy volunteers of adult age were obtained for both groups. In contrast, these networks were not identical when comparing the healthy and ADHD groups. These differences affected areas for all the networks except the Right Memory Function network. All techniques employed in this study were used to monitor different cerebral regions which participate in the phenomenological characterization of ADHD patients when compared to healthy controls. Results from our three analyses indicated that the cerebellum and mid-frontal lobe bilaterally for ReHo, the executive function regions in ICA, and the precuneus, cuneus and the clacarine fissure for ALFF, were the "hubs" in which the main inter-group differences were found. These results do not just help to explain the physiology underlying the disorder but open the door to future uses of these methodologies to monitor and evaluate patients with ADHD.