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. 2018 Oct:185:54-66.
doi: 10.1016/j.bandl.2018.08.004. Epub 2018 Sep 4.

Global gray matter morphometry differences between children with reading disability, ADHD, and comorbid reading disability/ADHD

Audreyana C Jagger-Rickels  1 , Michelle Y Kibby  2 , Jordan M Constance  1
Affiliations

Global gray matter morphometry differences between children with reading disability, ADHD, and comorbid reading disability/ADHD

Audreyana C Jagger-Rickels et al. Brain Lang. 2018 Oct.

Abstract

Extensive, yet disparate, research exists elucidating structural anomalies in individuals with Reading Disability (RD) or ADHD. Despite ADHD and RD being highly comorbid, minimal research has attempted to determine shared patterns of morphometry between these disorders. In addition, there is no published research examining the morphometry of comorbid RD and ADHD (RD/ADHD). Hence, we conducted voxel-based morphometry on the MRI scans of 106 children, ages 8-12 years, with RD, ADHD, or RD/ADHD, and typically developing controls. We found right caudate and superior frontal regions in both RD and ADHD, along with areas specific to RD and to ADHD that are consistent with current theories on these disorders. Perhaps most importantly, we found a potential neurobiological substrate for RD/ADHD. Further, our findings illustrate both shared and specific contributors to RD/ADHD, supporting two current theories on the comorbidity of RD and ADHD, thereby facilitating future work on potential etiologies of RD/ADHD.

Keywords: ADHD; Frontal lobes; Morphometry; Occipital lobes; Reading disability; Reading disability/ADHD; Striatum; Structural neuroimaging; Thalamus; VBM.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest

None.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Overarching contrast. This figure displays the reduced gray matter found in the overarching contrast.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Follow-up analyses. A shows reduced gray matter in the RD group compared to controls; B shows reduced gray matter in the ADHD group compared to controls; C shows reduced gray matter in the RD/ADHD group compared to controls.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Bilateral Lingual Cluster in the Control Minus RD contrast. The glass brain on the left shows the location of the bilateral lingual cluster found in the RD contrast. The graph on the right shows the distribution of contrast scores broken down by group.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Bilateral Thalamus Cluster in the Control Minus Comorbid RD/ADHD. The glass brain on the left shows the location of the bilateral thalami cluster from the RD/ADHD contrast. The graph on the right shows the distribution of contrast scores broken down by group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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