The British Journal of Psychiatry (2009) 194: 123-129. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.108.051359
© 2009 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Age-related grey matter volume correlates of response inhibition and shifting in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

Grainne M. McAlonan, PhD

State Key Laboratory for Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong

Vinci Cheung, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong

Siew E. Chua, MRCPsych

State Key Laboratory for Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China

Jaap Oosterlaan, PhD

Department of Clinical Neuropsychology, Vrije University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Se-fong Hung, FRCPsych, Chun-pan Tang, MRCPsych, Chi-chiu Lee, MRCPsych and Shi-leung Kwong, FHKCPsych

Department of Psychiatry, Kwai Chung Hospital, Hong Kong

Ting-pong Ho, MD and Charlton Cheung, PhD

Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China

John Suckling, PhD

Cambridge Brain Mapping Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, UK

Patrick W. L. Leung, PhD

Department of Psychology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.

Correspondence: Grainne M. McAlonan, Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. Email: mcalonan{at}hkucc.hku.hk

Declaration of Interest

None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background

Children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have difficulties with executive function and impulse control which may improve with age.

Aims

To map the brain correlates of executive function in ADHD and determine age-related changes in reaction times and brain volumes.

Method

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and control groups were compared on the change task measures of response inhibition (stop signal reaction time, SSRT) and shifting (change response reaction time, CRRT). Voxel-wise magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) correlations of reaction times and grey matter volume were determined, along with bivariate correlations of reaction times, brain volumes and age.

Results

Individuals in the ADHD group had longer SSRTs and CRRTs. Anterior cingulate, striatal and medial temporal volumes highly correlated with SSRT. Striatal and cerebellar volumes strongly correlated with CRRT. Older children had faster reaction times and larger regional brain volumes. In controls, orbitofrontal, medial temporal and cerebellar volumes correlated with CRRT but not SSRT. Neither reaction times nor regional brain volumes were strongly age-dependent.

Conclusions

Our evidence supports delayed brain maturation in ADHD and implies that some features of ADHD improve with age.


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