Hypofrontality in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder during higher-order motor control: A study with functional MRI

Citation
K. Rubia et al., Hypofrontality in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder during higher-order motor control: A study with functional MRI, AM J PSYCHI, 156(6), 1999, pp. 891-896
Citations number
41
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,"Clinical Psycology & Psychiatry","Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY
ISSN journal
0002953X → ACNP
Volume
156
Issue
6
Year of publication
1999
Pages
891 - 896
Database
ISI
SICI code
0002-953X(199906)156:6<891:HIADHD>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
Objective: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to investig ate the hypothesis that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with a dysfunction of prefrontal brain regions during motor resp onse inhibition and motor timing. Method: Generic brain activation of seven adolescent boys with ADHD was compared to that of nine comparison subjects equivalent in sex, age, and IQ while they were performing a stop task, req uiring inhibition of a planned motor response, and a motor timing task, req uiring timing of a motor response to a sensory cue. Results: The hyperactiv e adolescents showed lower power of response in the right mesial prefrontal cortex during both tasks and in the right inferior prefrontal cortex and l eft caudate during the stop task. Conclusions: ADHD is associated with subn ormal activation of the prefrontal systems responsible for higher-order mot or control. Functional MRI is a feasible technique for investigation of neu ral correlates of ADHD.