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The Shape of Things to Come in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

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Check out this Knowledge Base article from StressTherapy Solutions: The Shape of Things to Come in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

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Study at a glance

Area
ADHD & Attention
Study type
Review & meta-analysis
Authors
Shaw P
Journal
American Journal of Psychiatry
Year
2010
Participants
46 youths with ADHD and 59 typically developing youths (in the study discussed)
Protocol
commentary on structural MRI thalamic shape analysis

Key findings

  • The discussed study found bilateral volume loss in the region of the pulvinar nuclei in youths with ADHD
  • Larger right pulvinar and medial-dorsal volumes tracked inattention, while smaller lateral thalamic volumes tracked hyperactivity
  • Overall thalamic volume did not differ, so a whole-structure measure would have missed these local changes
  • Pulvinar reduction was driven mainly by unmedicated youths, but the author warns against inferring a treatment effect

DOI 10.1176/appi.ajp.2010.10010037 → PubMed 20360322 →

An editorial on a structural MRI study by Ivanov and colleagues that mapped the surface shape of the thalamus in youths with ADHD and typically developing peers. The commentary highlights shrinkage around the pulvinar nuclei in ADHD, links between local thalamic shape and symptom severity, and more typical thalamic shape in youths taking stimulant medication. The author cautions that such observational links do not show cause and calls for further work on what drives these changes.