Corpus callosum may be similar in children with ADHD and siblings of children with ADHD

No previous studies have used morphological neuroimaging to compare childre n with ADHD with siblings of children with ADHD. To test the hypothesis tha t the total size of the corpus callosum is altered in children with hyperki netic disorder, the corpus callosum was outlined from a single midline prot on-density weighted slice (containing the septum pellucidum). Fifteen boys with a refined phenotype of ADHD (mean age 10.2 years) and 15 healthy male siblings of children with ADHD (mean age 10.6 years) were enrolled in the s tudy. The two groups were compared for global brain size and the callosal a reas of Witelson, No significant differences were found between the study a nd comparison groups for any of the corpus callosum areas, even after age, global brain size, and handedness were covaried (using MANOVA). In addition , corpus callosum sizes do not seem to differ between children with ADHD an d unaffected siblings of children with ADHD, Clinicians should not base the ir pathophysiological diagnosis of this disorder on an abnormality of callo sal development.