White Matter Microstructural Abnormalities in Children with Familial vs. Non-Familial Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent, heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder. Methods: This study presents, for the first time, a comprehensive investigation of white matter microstructural differences between familial ADHD (ADHD-F) and non-familial ADHD (ADHD-NF) using advanced diffusion tensor imaging analyses in a large community-based sample. Results: Children with ADHD-F exhibited significantly greater volume in the right anterior thalamic radiations and the left inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus compared to controls, and greater volume in the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus relative to ADHD-NF. The ADHD-NF group showed reduced fractional anisotropy in the left inferior longitudinal fasciculus compared to the controls. In both the ADHD-F and ADHD-NF groups, a greater volume of anterior thalamic radiation significantly contributed to reduced ADHD symptoms. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that white matter microstructural alterations along the frontal-thalamic pathways may play a critical role in hereditary factors among children with ADHD-F and significantly contribute to elevated inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors in the affected children.