Imaging of neurocognitive dysfunctions in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Various factors are discussed as possible causes of ADHD, with structural imaging studies and molecular genetic investigations from the 1990s in particular indicating a predominantly inherited neurobiologically based disorder. The development of noninvasive imaging methods over the past 15 years has substantially enriched pediatric research in this field. Functional imaging studies have provided clear evidence of neurobiological correlates of impaired executive functions, deficient impulse control, and abnormal psychomotor activity. The dysfunctions found in frontostriatal circuits are consistent with previously described volume reductions in frontal brain structures and pathological changes in the basal ganglia and cerebellum. In particular, the control of visual attention is impaired by dysfunctions in these brain regions.