[Source: Science Daily]

Children as young as four years old with symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) showed reduced brain volumes in regions essential for behavioral control, according to a new study. The research represents the first comprehensive examination of cortical brain volume in preschool children with ADHD and provides an indication that anomalous brain structure is evident in the early stages of development.

Using high-resolution anatomical MRI scans along with cognitive and behavioral measures, researchers from Kennedy Krieger Institute studied the brain development of 90 medication- naïve preschoolers between the ages of 4 and 5 years. The study, funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, found that preschoolers with ADHD showed significantly reduced brain volume across multiple regions of the cerebral cortex, including the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes. The brain regions showing greatest ADHD-related reductions included those known to be critical for cognitive and behavioral control and predictability of behavioral symptoms.

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