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Review
. 2009 Oct;54(10):665-72.
doi: 10.1177/070674370905401003.

The restless brain: attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, resting-state functional connectivity, and intrasubject variability

F Xavier Castellanos  1 , Clare Kelly, Michael P Milham
Affiliations
Review

The restless brain: attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, resting-state functional connectivity, and intrasubject variability

F Xavier Castellanos et al. Can J Psychiatry. 2009 Oct.

Abstract

Objectives: To highlight recent advances in the conceptualization of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) emerging from neuroimaging and endophenotypic approaches.

Methods: We selectively reviewed recent published literature on the phenomena of resting-state functional connectivity, intrasubject variability, and diffusion tensor imaging pertaining to ADHD.

Results: Recent advances based on the novel approach of resting-state functional connectivity appear to be highly promising and likely to link to studies of intrasubject variability.

Conclusions: Endophenotypic fractionation may offer a means of addressing the complex heterogeneity of ADHD on the path to testable models of pathophysiology. Such models focusing on intrasubject variability, intrinsic brain activity, and reward-related processing are progressing rapidly.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosures

The authors report no financial conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Functional connectivity analyses were carried out using a spherical region of interest located in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) (diameter = 7mm; x=8, y=9, z=35), based upon the findings of Weissman et al. (2006) (depicted in the panel on the left). Voxels positively (red) and negatively (blue) predicted by the timeseries for the ACC region of interest are depicted in panel B (sagittal slice: x=6; coronal slice: y=62). A robust negative or antiphasic relationship was noted between the ACC seed region and default-mode network components (i.e., an increase in ACC activity predicts a decrease in default-mode activity). ADHD-related decreases in functional connectivity were noted between ACC and precuneus (region shown in yellow).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Decreased ACC-Precuneus Connectivity in ADHD. The scatter plot depicts the mean parameter estimates for dorsal ACC connectivity (seed region: x=8, y=7, z=38) in the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex region found to exhibit ADHD-related decrease in anti-relationship with anterior cingulate cortex. As depicted in the plot, while spontaneous activity in ACC negatively predicted activity in precuneus/posterior cingulate for controls, no such relationship is found in the ADHD sample (p < 9 × 10−6). Figures 1 and 2 reprinted from Biological Psychiatry, by permission.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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