Brain imaging study of preschoolers with ADHD detects brain differences linked to symptoms

ScienceDaily (June 10, 2011) — In a study published June 9 in the Clinical Neuropsychologist, researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute found differences in the brain development of preschool children with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Results showed the region of the brain important for cognitive and motor control was smaller in these children than in typically developing children. Novel for its use of neuroimaging in very young, preschool age children with early symptoms of ADHD, this study's examination of brain differences may offer new insights into potential early interventions for the disorder.

ADHD is the single most common child behavioral diagnosis, affecting approximately 2 million children. This highly prevalent developmental disorder is characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity. By age 4, as many as 40 percent of children have sufficient problems with attention to be of concern to parents and preschool teachers. This observation is important, as children whose symptoms begin in early childhood are at high risk for academic failure and grade repetition.

Since preschool children with symptoms of ADHD are at significant risk for social and academic difficulties compared to typically developing children, researchers set out to determine how to identify the disorder as early as possible in order to begin intervention earlier and facilitate better outcomes. Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have provided some insights into brain differences associated with ADHD, but these have almost exclusively focused on children ages 7 and older.

In the current study, researchers examined brain images in preschoolers (ages 4 and 5) both with and without symptoms of ADHD, specifically looking at cortical and basal ganglia volumes and the size of these particular areas of the brain. Researchers analyzed high resolution MRI brain images in 26 preschoolers, 13 presenting with ADHD symptoms and 13 without, and found differences in the caudate nucleus.The caudate nucleus is a small structure in the subcortical region of the brain and is associated with cognitive and motor control. Results showed that children with ADHD symptoms had significantly reduced caudate volumes compared to the children who did not present with ADHD symptoms. Additionally, these caudate volumes were significantly correlated with parent ratings of hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. Cortical volumes, however, were not associated with symptom severity. Researchers concluded that differences in basal ganglia development, particularly the caudate nucleus, appear to play an important role among children presenting with early onset symptoms of ADHD.

"Clinically, this abnormal brain development sets the stage for the symptoms of ADHD that contribute to cognitive challenges and problems in school," said Dr. Mark Mahone, lead author and Director of Neuropsychology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD. "Earlier identification and treatment of children presenting with attention problems in the preschool years may minimize the impact of ADHD in the long-term."

As part of this longitudinal study, researchers will continue to follow the brain development of these children to determine if abnormalities persist or regress with age.

This study was principally supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Johns Hopkins Brain Science Institute.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Kennedy Krieger Institute, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

E. M. Mahoneab; D. Crocettia; M. E. Rantaa; A. Gaddisa; M. Cataldoa; K. J. Sliferab; M. B. Dencklaab; S. H. Mostofskyab. A Preliminary Neuroimaging Study of Preschool Children with ADHD The Clinical Neuropsychologist. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 09 June 2011 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2011.580784

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here

Brain imaging study of preschoolers with ADHD detects brain differences linked to symptoms

ScienceDaily (June 10, 2011) — In a study published June 9 in the Clinical Neuropsychologist, researchers from the Kennedy Krieger Institute found differences in the brain development of preschool children with symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Results showed the region of the brain important for cognitive and motor control was smaller in these children than in typically developing children. Novel for its use of neuroimaging in very young, preschool age children with early symptoms of ADHD, this study's examination of brain differences may offer new insights into potential early interventions for the disorder.

ADHD is the single most common child behavioral diagnosis, affecting approximately 2 million children. This highly prevalent developmental disorder is characterized by inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity. By age 4, as many as 40 percent of children have sufficient problems with attention to be of concern to parents and preschool teachers. This observation is important, as children whose symptoms begin in early childhood are at high risk for academic failure and grade repetition.

Since preschool children with symptoms of ADHD are at significant risk for social and academic difficulties compared to typically developing children, researchers set out to determine how to identify the disorder as early as possible in order to begin intervention earlier and facilitate better outcomes. Previous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have provided some insights into brain differences associated with ADHD, but these have almost exclusively focused on children ages 7 and older.

In the current study, researchers examined brain images in preschoolers (ages 4 and 5) both with and without symptoms of ADHD, specifically looking at cortical and basal ganglia volumes and the size of these particular areas of the brain. Researchers analyzed high resolution MRI brain images in 26 preschoolers, 13 presenting with ADHD symptoms and 13 without, and found differences in the caudate nucleus.The caudate nucleus is a small structure in the subcortical region of the brain and is associated with cognitive and motor control. Results showed that children with ADHD symptoms had significantly reduced caudate volumes compared to the children who did not present with ADHD symptoms. Additionally, these caudate volumes were significantly correlated with parent ratings of hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. Cortical volumes, however, were not associated with symptom severity. Researchers concluded that differences in basal ganglia development, particularly the caudate nucleus, appear to play an important role among children presenting with early onset symptoms of ADHD.

"Clinically, this abnormal brain development sets the stage for the symptoms of ADHD that contribute to cognitive challenges and problems in school," said Dr. Mark Mahone, lead author and Director of Neuropsychology at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD. "Earlier identification and treatment of children presenting with attention problems in the preschool years may minimize the impact of ADHD in the long-term."

As part of this longitudinal study, researchers will continue to follow the brain development of these children to determine if abnormalities persist or regress with age.

This study was principally supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Johns Hopkins Brain Science Institute.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by Kennedy Krieger Institute, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

E. M. Mahoneab; D. Crocettia; M. E. Rantaa; A. Gaddisa; M. Cataldoa; K. J. Sliferab; M. B. Dencklaab; S. H. Mostofskyab. A Preliminary Neuroimaging Study of Preschool Children with ADHD The Clinical Neuropsychologist. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 09 June 2011 DOI: 10.1080/13854046.2011.580784

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

View the original article here

Time And Numbers Mix Together In The Brain

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
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Clocks tell time in numbers - and so do our minds, according to a new study which will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. In two experiments, scientists found that people associate small numbers with short time intervals and large numbers with longer intervals - suggesting that these two systems are linked in the brain.

It's clear that time and numbers are related in daily life, says Denise Wu of National Central University of Taiwan, who cowrote the new study with Acer Chang, Ovid Tzeng, and Daisy Hung. Numbers are used to represent distance and size, and to go to a farther place usually takes a longer time, for example. But, she says, "Because the tradition of psychology is to manipulate one key variable of interest while controlling other confounding variables as much as possible, these domains were treated independently." Recently, more researchers have started looking at how time and numbers are associated. Wu and her coauthors wanted to look more closely at this relationship, so they came up with a way to look at how numbers interfere with people's perception of time.

In one experiment, each participant sat in front of a computer screen while a single-digit number appeared on the screen for a short time less than a second. After the number disappeared, the word "NOW" appeared on the screen, and the participant was supposed to hold down a key on the keyboard for as long as they thought the number had been displayed. The interaction between time and number was clear: after seeing a large number, like 9, people held the key down for longer than they did for a smaller number, like 2.

In another experiment, people saw a green dot for a short time. When they were asked to press the key, their key-press responses were accompanied by a number on the screen. In that case, they held down the key longer if they saw a small number and for a shorter time if they saw a large number. Wu thinks that happens because the small number makes people think they haven't held down the key for long enough yet.

"We are really excited about this because this means the influence of the digit is so automatic and so immediate," she says. The results suggest that the brain somehow processes time and the size of numbers together - possibly even with the same neurons. So, maybe instead of having different parts of the brain devoted to different kinds of measurement, there's some part of the brain that is generally responsible for thinking about magnitude.

"It shows that it's not like, mentally, we have a clock and it is immune to all the other information," Wu says. Instead, your concept of time is responding to other things going on in the brain. In this case, it's numbers, but it might also be influenced by emotion. For example, we all know that time passes more slowly in a boring meeting than when you're chatting with a friend; maybe this is related to the ways that timekeeping links to other functions in the brain.

Source:
Divya Menon
Association for Psychological Science

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