Quantitative morphology of the corpus callosum in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

OBJECTIVE

By means of quantitative neuroanatomic imaging the authors assessed the hypothesis that there are structural brain abnormalities relevant to frontal lobe circuitry in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

METHOD

The midsagittal cross-sectional area of the corpus callosum, divided into seven sections, was measured from magnetic resonance images of 18 boys with ADHD and 18 carefully matched normal boys.

RESULTS

Two anterior regions, the rostrum and the rostral body, were found to have significantly smaller areas in the ADHD group. These areas correlated in the expected direction with teacher and parent ratings of hyperactivity/impulsivity.

CONCLUSIONS

This finding supports theories of abnormal frontal lobe development and function in ADHD.