Functional Connectivity of Attention-Related Networks in Drug-Naïve Children With ADHD

Abstract

This study aimed to explore alterations of seed-based functional connectivity (FC) in dorsal attention network (DAN), ventral attention network (VAN), and default mode network (DMN) in ADHD children. Method: A voxel-based comparison of FC maps between 46 drug-naïve children with ADHD and 31 healthy controls (HCs) and correlation analysis between connectivity features and behavior were performed. Results: Compared with the HCs, children with ADHD were characterized by hyperconnectivity between DAN and regions of DMN and by hyperconnectivity between DMN and a set of regions involved in somatosensory, visual, and auditory cortices. No significant group different FC was found between VAN and the whole brain. Higher FC between DMN and somatosensory, visual, and auditory cortex was associated with better performance in attention and executive function. Conclusion: The dysregulation of networks in children with ADHD not only involves the DAN and DMN but also the somatosensory, motor, visual, and auditory networks.

A Transdiagnostic Data-driven Study of Children’s Behaviour and the Functional Connectome

“…C2 demonstrated over-connectivity in these regions and primarily differed from other groups in their degree of difficulties with inattention and cool executive function. It is possible that poor cognitive control in this group may be related to over-connectivity of dorsal attention connector hubs, for example to the default-mode network (H. Lin et al, 2018). There was more limited evidence that C3 were distinct from all other groups, which could suggest that the neurobiological correlates of this group with pronounced and more selective learning difficulties were more heterogeneous.…”

“…Alterations in default mode network connectivity have also been widely documented in a range of neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions (Menon, 2011). For example, altered connectivity between the default mode network and externally-oriented task-positive networks has been linked to executive function difficulties (Abbott et al, 2016), inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity (Cai et al, 2018;H. Lin et al, 2018;Sripada et al, 2014).…”

“…Much of the literature has focused on behavioural ratings of characteristic ADHD symptoms, including inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, which are strongly related to executive function behaviours (Silverstein et al, 2020). Less severe ADHD symptoms are associated with reduced connectivity between the default mode network with the dorsal attention (H. Lin et al, 2018) and ventral attention networks (Sripada et al, 2014). Furthermore, less severe symptoms of ADHD are associated with greater cross-network interaction of the cingulo-opercular network, a combined measure of segregation from the default mode network and integration with the lateral fronto-parietal network (Cai et al, 2018).…”

Segregation and integration of the functional connectome in neurodevelopmentally ‘at risk’ children

“…Indeed, reduced functional connectivity within the default-mode network (Nomi and Uddin, 2015;Sripada et al, 2014) and over-connectivity between the default-mode and task-positive networks has been associated with cognitive difficulties in childhood (Cai et al, 2018;Francx et al, 2015;Lin et al, 2018;Sripada et al, 2014). Segregation of the default-mode and task-positive networks are developmentally delayed in children with poorer attention performance, and those with greater performance difficulties show greater delay (Cai et al, 2018;Francx et al, 2015; see also Kessler et al, 2016;Lin et al, 2018;Mills et al, 2018;Sripada et al, 2014). Similarly, children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) do not show a maturational strengthening between the ventral attention network and right fronto-parietal network compared to non-ADHD controls (de Lacy and Calhoun, 2018).…”

Neuroimaging of intrinsic connectivity networks: a robust method for assessing functional brain organization in psychiatric disorders

“…In contrast, youth with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show hyperconnectivity between these networks, consistent with symptoms of dysregulated attention. 4 Furthermore, brain development during adolescence is characterized by increasing connectivity between networks and decreasing connectivity within networks, 5 providing a metric by which aberrant or delayed neural development can be assessed.…”