Adverse childhood experiences predict neurite density differences in young children with and without attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) put millions of children at risk for later health problems. As childhood represents a critical developmental period, it is important to understand how ACEs impact brain development in young children. In addition, children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely than typically developing (TD) peers to experience ACEs. Therefore, the current study examined the impact of ACEs on early brain development, using a cumulative risk approach, in a large sample of children with and without ADHD. We examined 198 young children (Mage = 5.45, 82.3% Hispanic/Latino; 52.5% ADHD) across measures of brain volume, cortical thickness, neurite density index (NDI), and orientation dispersion index (ODI). For the NDI measure, there was a significant interaction between group and cumulative risk (ß = .18, p = .048), such that for children with ADHD, but not TD children, greater cumulate risk was associated with increased NDI in corpus callosum. No other interactions were detected. Additionally, when examining across groups, greater cumulative risk was associated with reduced ODI and volume in the cerebellum, although these findings did not survive a correction for multiple comparisons. Our results highlight the role early cumulative ACEs play in brain development across TD and children with ADHD.

Examining adverse childhood experiences and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A systematic review

“…This study (Hare et al, 2022) claimed that ACEs affect the axonal density in the corpus callosum, as well as affect the development of the cerebellum. These brain structures affect critical processes such as emotional regulation, linguistic processing, and visual‐spatial processing in children with ADHD (Hare et al, 2022). Furthermore, this study found that children with ADHD were more likely than typically developing (TD) peers to experience ACEs (Hare et al, 2022).…”

“…Generally, each study reported lower brain volumes in children who have experienced stressful life events and have ADHD. Both studies investigated brain volume, but one study (Hare et al, 2022) investigated the cerebellum, corpus callosum, orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate. This study (Hare et al, 2022) claimed that ACEs affect the axonal density in the corpus callosum, as well as affect the development of the cerebellum.…”

“…Both studies investigated brain volume, but one study (Hare et al, 2022) investigated the cerebellum, corpus callosum, orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, and anterior cingulate. This study (Hare et al, 2022) claimed that ACEs affect the axonal density in the corpus callosum, as well as affect the development of the cerebellum. These brain structures affect critical processes such as emotional regulation, linguistic processing, and visual‐spatial processing in children with ADHD (Hare et al, 2022).…”

“…These brain structures affect critical processes such as emotional regulation, linguistic processing, and visual‐spatial processing in children with ADHD (Hare et al, 2022). Furthermore, this study found that children with ADHD were more likely than typically developing (TD) peers to experience ACEs (Hare et al, 2022). This was visualized by an increased neurite density index (NDI) within the corpus callosum in children with ADHD ( β = 0.18, p = 0.048).…”

“…future clinical practice and interventions that can be implemented to help those individuals.Two studies(Hare et al, 2022;Humphreys et al, 2019) explored the possibility of stressful life events altering brain structures during development in children in areas that affect ADHD. Generally, each study reported lower brain volumes in children who have experienced stressful life events and have ADHD.…”