The ADHD Brain

Plain-language summary

Research suggests that there are differences in brain structure and function in people with ADHD compared to those without the condition. However, the exact nature of these differences and their implications are still being explored, and some findings are mixed or limited, especially regarding the effects of medication.

Key findings

• The brain in individuals with ADHD can be modeled as a functional network, and certain properties of these networks differ from those in people without ADHD.
• Research is exploring how medication might affect brain activity and structure in young people with ADHD, specifically looking at areas like prefrontal oxygenation and thalamic volume.
• Studies are investigating neural networks involved in 'delay discounting,' which could be a marker for various conditions, including ADHD.
• There's ongoing research into how brain structure and function might be connected to resilience, particularly in young people who experience early life adversity.
• Although not directly about ADHD, research on endurance athletes shows that varying levels of training can lead to differences in brain structure and function, highlighting the brain's plasticity.

Studies cited (8)

1. Resilience and young people's brain structure, function and connectivity: A systematic review. — S. Eaton, Harriet Cornwell, C. Hamilton-Giachritsis (2021, Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, systematic-review)

   Although negative early life experiences are associated with an increased risk of developing psychopathology, some individuals exposed to childhood adversity demonstrate psychological resilience. Little is known about the neural correlates of resilience, especially in young people. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review of neuroimaging studies of resilience in youth. The PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases were searched; 5,482 studies were identified. Following title/abstract screening, and full reading of the remaining articles, 22 studies based on 19 unique

2. Neural networks during delay discounting as trans-disease marker: A meta-analytical review — Chen Z, Becker B, Qin P (2021, Journal of psychiatric research, review)

   DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.05.008

3. Brain structure and function differences across varying levels of endurance training: a cross-sectional study — Keying Zhang, Chunmei Cao, Yaxue Wang (2024, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, observational)

   Background Although previous studies have shown that athletes engaged in endurance sports exhibit unique characteristics of brain plasticity, there has been no systematic investigation into the structural and functional brain characteristics of endurance athletes with varying training levels. Methods Utilizing the “expert-novice paradigm” design, we employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to obtain images of brain structure and functional activity. We compared differences in gray matter volume (GMV), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), and degree centralit

4. Exploiting the brain's network structure in identifying ADHD subjects — Soumyabrata Dey, A. R. Rao, M. Shah (2012, Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, other)

   Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) is a common behavioral problem affecting children. In this work, we investigate the automatic classification of ADHD subjects using the resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) sequences of the brain. We show that brain can be modeled as a functional network, and certain properties of the networks differ in ADHD subjects from control subjects. We compute the pairwise correlation of brain voxels' activity over the time frame of the experimental protocol which helps to model the function of a brain as a network. Different network fe

5. Effect of medication on the rostrolateral prefrontal oxygenation and thalamic volume asymmetry in youths with ADHD — Hyuna Kim, D. Kang, Y. Jang (2025, Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, other)

   Introduction Symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are closely associated with impaired executive function. Medication is the first-line treatment for ADHD, yet its effects on brain function and structure remain unclear. To investigate medication-related brain alterations in children with ADHD, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy, which captures cortical hemodynamic activity, and structural magnetic resonance imaging, which measures subcortical volume. Methods We investigated the differences in brain hemodynamic activity between 23 children with ADHD taking medi

6. Low-Resolution Electromagnetic Tomography (LORETA) of changed Brain Function Provoked by Pro-Dopamine Regulator (KB220z) in one Adult ADHD case — Steinberg B, Blum K, McLaughlin T (2016, Open journal of clinical & medical case reports, other)

   PMCID: PMC5012539

7. Neuroimaging and neuromodulation approaches to study eating behavior and prevent and treat eating disorders and obesity — Val-Laillet D, Aarts E, Weber B (2015, NeuroImage. Clinical, other)

   DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2015.03.016 PMCID: PMC4473270

8. Cortical thickness differences in the prefrontal cortex in children and adolescents with ADHD in relation to dopamine transporter (DAT1) genotype — Fernández-Jaén A, López-Martín S, Albert J (2015, Psychiatry research, other)

   DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2015.07.005