Neural Activation in Reward Network Associated with Inattentive Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Abstract

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and impulsivity have been linked to the functioning of the brain’s reward network. However, many of these studies focus on the anticipatory phase of reward processing and are limited by small sample sizes. In the current study, a community sample of 1081 adults (mean age = 28.8, SD = 3.7) completed a computerized functional magnetic resonance imaging task examining reward outcome. Out-of-scanner participants completed self-report measures of ADHD symptoms and impulsivity. A voxelwise t-test of activation during reward outcomes indicated activation in the left and right ventral striatum, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and the posterior cingulate, as well as greater activation in sensory and motor areas. In voxelwise regression analyses, neural response to reward in the left striatum, insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and lateral temporal cortex, as well as bilaterally in the occipital cortex, was inversely associated with inattentive symptoms of ADHD. No associations were found between neural response to reward and hyperactive symptoms of ADHD or impulsivity. Results were generally consistent in follow-up region of interest analyses. These findings suggest activation in reward network regions is linked to inattentive, but not hyperactive symptoms of ADHD, even in those without a diagnosis.

An fMRI investigation of the relations between Extraversion, internalizing psychopathology, and neural activation following reward receipt in the Human Connectome Project sample

“…Correlations between the personality and psychopathology domains have been presented in manuscripts that predated the current project (e.g., Hyatt et al, 2019; Owens et al, 2019a). Group activation maps for the reward task used in the current manuscript are presented by Owens and colleagues (2019b). Consistent with recent recommendations (Benjamin et al, 2018), we pre-registered a threshold of p < .005 to determine the statistical significance of the relations between neural reward-processing and self-report variables (i.e., personality traits, psychopathology indices).…”

“…Analyses were pre-registered prior to being conducted at . The data used in the current analyses had been processed as a part of the HCP minimal pre-processing pipeline prior to pre-registration and were downloaded and used by our group for studies unrelated to the topic of the current manuscript (i.e., reward-processing associations with ADHD symptoms, Owens et al, 2019b; structural correlates of personality and internalizing symptoms, Hyatt et al, 2019; Owens et al, 2019a). Correlations between the personality and psychopathology domains have been presented in manuscripts that predated the current project (e.g., Hyatt et al, 2019; Owens et al, 2019a).…”