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 measure d from magnetic resonance images of Is boys with ADHD and 18 carefully matched normal boys. Results: Two anterior regions, the rostrum and t he rostral body, were found to have significantly smaller areas in the ADHD group. These areas correlated in the expected direction with tea cher and parent ratings of hrperactivity/impulsivity. Conclusions: Thi s finding supports theories of abnormal frontal lobe development and f unction in ADHD.