Corpus callosum may be similar in children with ADHD and siblings of children with ADHD

Abstract

No previous studies have used morphological neuroimaging to compare children with ADHD with siblings of children with ADHD. To test the hypothesis that the total size of the corpus callosum is altered in children with hyperkinetic disorder, the corpus callosum was outlined from a single midline protondensity weighted slice (containing the septum pellucidum). Fifteen boys with a refined phenotype of ADHD (mean age 10.2 years) and 15 healthy male siblings of children with ADHD (mean age 10.6 years) were enrolled in the study. The two groups were compared for global brain size and the callosal areas of Witelson. No significant differences were found between the study and comparison groups for any of the corpus callosum areas, even after age, global brain size, and handedness were covaried (using MANOVA). In addition, corpus callosum sizes do not seem to differ between children with ADHD and unaffected siblings of children with ADHD. Clinicians should not base their pathophysiological diagnosis of this disorder on an abnormality of callosal development.