Cortical morphology as a shared neurobiological substrate of attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and executive functioning: a population-based pediatric neuroimaging study

S.E. Mous; T. White; R.L. Muetzel; H. El Marroun; J. Rijlaarsdam; J.C. Polderman; V.W. Jaddoe; F.C. Verhulst; D. Posthuma; H. Tiemeier

doi:10.1503/jpn.150371

Cortical morphology as a shared neurobiological substrate of attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and executive functioning: a population-based pediatric neuroimaging study

S.E. Mous, T. White, R.L. Muetzel, H. El Marroun, J. Rijlaarsdam, J.C. Polderman, V.W. Jaddoe, F.C. Verhulst, D. Posthuma, H. Tiemeier

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms have repeatedly been associated with poor cognitive functioning. Genetic studies have demonstrated a shared etiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cognitive ability, suggesting a common underlying neurobiology of ADHD and cognition. Further, neuroimaging studies suggest that altered cortical development is related to ADHD. In a large population-based sample we investigated whether cortical morphology, as a potential neurobiological substrate, underlies the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and cognitive problems.

METHODS: The sample consisted of school-aged children with data on attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms, cognitive functioning and structural imaging. First, we investigated the association between attention-deficit/ hyperactivity symptoms and different domains of cognition. Next, we identified cortical correlates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and related cognitive domains. Finally, we studied the role of cortical thickness and gyrification in the behaviour-cognition associations.

RESULTS: We included 776 children in our analyses. We found that attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms were associated specifically with problems in attention and executive functioning (EF; b = -0.041, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.07 to -0.01, p = 0.004). Cortical thickness and gyrification were associated with both attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF in brain regions that have been previously implicated in ADHD. This partly explained the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF (bindirect = -0.008, bias-corrected 95% CI -0.018 to -0.001).

LIMITATIONS: The nature of our study did not allow us to draw inferences regarding temporal associations; longitudinal studies are needed for clarification.

CONCLUSION: In a large, population-based sample of children, we identified a shared cortical morphology underlying attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	103-112
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
Volume	42
Issue number	2
Early online date	27 Sept 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.150371
Publication status	Published - 1 Mar 2017

Funding

The Generation R Study is conducted by the Erasmus Medical Center in close collaboration with the School of Law and Faculty of Social Sciences of the Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Municipal Health Service Rotterdam area, Rotterdam, the Rotterdam Homecare Foundation, Rotterdam and the Stichting Trombosedienst & Artsenlaboratorium Rijnmond (STAR-MDC), Rotterdam. We gratefully acknowledge the contribution of children and parents, general practitioners, hospitals, midwives and pharmacies in Rotterdam. The general design of Generation R Study is made possible by financial support from the Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and the Ministry of Youth and Families. In addition, this study is financially supported through NWO ZonMw (TOP project number 91211021); and the NWO Brain & Cognition (project number 433-09-228).

Funders	Funder number
Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam
Ministry of Youth and Families
Municipal Health Service Rotterdam
NWO ZonMw	91211021, 433-09-228
Netherlands Organization for Health Research and Development
Rotterdam Homecare Foundation
STAR-MDC
Stichting Trombosedienst & Artsenlaboratorium Rijnmond
ZonMw
Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam
Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Sport
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek

Keywords

Attention
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Brain
Child
Cognition
Cohort Studies
Executive Function
Female
Humans
Journal Article
Male
Neuroimaging
Neuropsychological Tests
Organ Size
Regression Analysis
Sex Characteristics

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Cortical morphology as a shared neurobiological substrate of attention-deficit, hyperactivity symptoms and executive functioningFinal published version, 708 KBLicence: Article 25fa Dutch Copyright Act

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Mous, S. E., White, T., Muetzel, R. L., El Marroun, H., Rijlaarsdam, J., Polderman, J. C., Jaddoe, V. W., Verhulst, F. C., Posthuma, D., & Tiemeier, H. (2017). Cortical morphology as a shared neurobiological substrate of attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and executive functioning: a population-based pediatric neuroimaging study. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 42(2), 103-112. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.150371

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abstract = "BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms have repeatedly been associated with poor cognitive functioning. Genetic studies have demonstrated a shared etiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cognitive ability, suggesting a common underlying neurobiology of ADHD and cognition. Further, neuroimaging studies suggest that altered cortical development is related to ADHD. In a large population-based sample we investigated whether cortical morphology, as a potential neurobiological substrate, underlies the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and cognitive problems.METHODS: The sample consisted of school-aged children with data on attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms, cognitive functioning and structural imaging. First, we investigated the association between attention-deficit/ hyperactivity symptoms and different domains of cognition. Next, we identified cortical correlates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and related cognitive domains. Finally, we studied the role of cortical thickness and gyrification in the behaviour-cognition associations.RESULTS: We included 776 children in our analyses. We found that attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms were associated specifically with problems in attention and executive functioning (EF; b = -0.041, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.07 to -0.01, p = 0.004). Cortical thickness and gyrification were associated with both attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF in brain regions that have been previously implicated in ADHD. This partly explained the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF (bindirect = -0.008, bias-corrected 95% CI -0.018 to -0.001).LIMITATIONS: The nature of our study did not allow us to draw inferences regarding temporal associations; longitudinal studies are needed for clarification.CONCLUSION: In a large, population-based sample of children, we identified a shared cortical morphology underlying attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF.",

keywords = "Attention, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Brain, Child, Cognition, Cohort Studies, Executive Function, Female, Humans, Journal Article, Male, Neuroimaging, Neuropsychological Tests, Organ Size, Regression Analysis, Sex Characteristics",

author = "S.E. Mous and T. White and R.L. Muetzel and {El Marroun}, H. and J. Rijlaarsdam and J.C. Polderman and V.W. Jaddoe and F.C. Verhulst and D. Posthuma and H. Tiemeier",

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Mous, SE, White, T, Muetzel, RL, El Marroun, H, Rijlaarsdam, J, Polderman, JC, Jaddoe, VW, Verhulst, FC, Posthuma, D & Tiemeier, H 2017, 'Cortical morphology as a shared neurobiological substrate of attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and executive functioning: a population-based pediatric neuroimaging study', Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, vol. 42, no. 2, pp. 103-112. https://doi.org/10.1503/jpn.150371

Cortical morphology as a shared neurobiological substrate of attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and executive functioning: a population-based pediatric neuroimaging study. / Mous, S.E.; White, T.; Muetzel, R.L. et al.
In: Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, Vol. 42, No. 2, 01.03.2017, p. 103-112.

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Cortical morphology as a shared neurobiological substrate of attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and executive functioning: a population-based pediatric neuroimaging study

AU - Mous, S.E.

AU - White, T.

AU - Muetzel, R.L.

AU - El Marroun, H.

AU - Rijlaarsdam, J.

AU - Polderman, J.C.

AU - Jaddoe, V.W.

AU - Verhulst, F.C.

AU - Posthuma, D.

AU - Tiemeier, H.

PY - 2017/3/1

Y1 - 2017/3/1

N2 - BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms have repeatedly been associated with poor cognitive functioning. Genetic studies have demonstrated a shared etiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cognitive ability, suggesting a common underlying neurobiology of ADHD and cognition. Further, neuroimaging studies suggest that altered cortical development is related to ADHD. In a large population-based sample we investigated whether cortical morphology, as a potential neurobiological substrate, underlies the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and cognitive problems.METHODS: The sample consisted of school-aged children with data on attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms, cognitive functioning and structural imaging. First, we investigated the association between attention-deficit/ hyperactivity symptoms and different domains of cognition. Next, we identified cortical correlates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and related cognitive domains. Finally, we studied the role of cortical thickness and gyrification in the behaviour-cognition associations.RESULTS: We included 776 children in our analyses. We found that attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms were associated specifically with problems in attention and executive functioning (EF; b = -0.041, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.07 to -0.01, p = 0.004). Cortical thickness and gyrification were associated with both attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF in brain regions that have been previously implicated in ADHD. This partly explained the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF (bindirect = -0.008, bias-corrected 95% CI -0.018 to -0.001).LIMITATIONS: The nature of our study did not allow us to draw inferences regarding temporal associations; longitudinal studies are needed for clarification.CONCLUSION: In a large, population-based sample of children, we identified a shared cortical morphology underlying attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF.

AB - BACKGROUND: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms have repeatedly been associated with poor cognitive functioning. Genetic studies have demonstrated a shared etiology of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and cognitive ability, suggesting a common underlying neurobiology of ADHD and cognition. Further, neuroimaging studies suggest that altered cortical development is related to ADHD. In a large population-based sample we investigated whether cortical morphology, as a potential neurobiological substrate, underlies the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and cognitive problems.METHODS: The sample consisted of school-aged children with data on attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms, cognitive functioning and structural imaging. First, we investigated the association between attention-deficit/ hyperactivity symptoms and different domains of cognition. Next, we identified cortical correlates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and related cognitive domains. Finally, we studied the role of cortical thickness and gyrification in the behaviour-cognition associations.RESULTS: We included 776 children in our analyses. We found that attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms were associated specifically with problems in attention and executive functioning (EF; b = -0.041, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.07 to -0.01, p = 0.004). Cortical thickness and gyrification were associated with both attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF in brain regions that have been previously implicated in ADHD. This partly explained the association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF (bindirect = -0.008, bias-corrected 95% CI -0.018 to -0.001).LIMITATIONS: The nature of our study did not allow us to draw inferences regarding temporal associations; longitudinal studies are needed for clarification.CONCLUSION: In a large, population-based sample of children, we identified a shared cortical morphology underlying attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and EF.

KW - Attention

KW - Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity

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KW - Child

KW - Cognition

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Executive Function

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Journal Article

KW - Male

KW - Neuroimaging

KW - Neuropsychological Tests

KW - Organ Size

KW - Regression Analysis

KW - Sex Characteristics

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DO - 10.1503/jpn.150371

M3 - Article

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SN - 1180-4882

VL - 42

SP - 103

EP - 112

JO - Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience

JF - Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience

IS - 2

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Cortical morphology as a shared neurobiological substrate of attention-deficit/hyperactivity symptoms and executive functioning: a population-based pediatric neuroimaging study

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