Abstract
Youths with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptomatology often exhibit residual inattention and/or hyperactivity in adulthood; however, this is not true for all individuals. We recently reported that dimensional, multi-informant ratings of hyperactive/inattentive symptoms are associated with ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) structure. Herein, we investigate the degree to which vmPFC structure during adolescence predicts hyperactive/inattentive symptomatology at 5-year follow-up. Structural equation modeling was used to test the extent to which adolescent vmPFC volume predicts hyperactive/inattentive symptomatology 5 years later in early adulthood. 1104 participants (M = 14.52 years, standard deviation = 0.42; 583 females) possessed hyperactive/inattentive symptom data at 5-year follow-up, as well as quality controlled neuroimaging data and complete psychometric data at baseline. Self-reports of hyperactive/inattentive symptomatology were obtained during adolescence and at 5-year follow-up using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). At baseline and 5-year follow-up, a hyperactive/inattentive latent variable was derived from items on the SDQ. Baseline vmPFC volume predicted adult hyperactive/inattentive symptomatology (standardized coefficient = -0.274, P < 0.001) while controlling for baseline hyperactive/inattentive symptomatology. These results are the first to reveal relations between adolescent brain structure and adult hyperactive/inattentive symptomatology, and suggest that early structural development of the vmPFC may be consequential for the subsequent expression of hyperactive/inattentive symptoms.
Highlights
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology frequently persists across the span of development
For the 1104 participants included in the main Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis, self-report ratings of hyperactive/inattentive symptomatology at follow-up were inversely correlated with SES
Baseline parent-reported DAWBA symptom counts were correlated with baseline self-reported SDQ H/I scores (r = 0.345, p < .001) as well as follow-up self-reported SDQ H/I scores (r = 0.235, p < .001) (Supplemental Table 1)
Summary
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology frequently persists across the span of development. Longitudinal research indicates that functionally impairing symptoms continue into adolescence and adulthood in approximately 60-80%. Despite such findings, longitudinal relations between adolescent brain structure and adult ADHD symptomatology remain virtually unstudied. Prospective longitudinal neuroimaging studies offer an invaluable opportunity to identify early brain-. Investigating links between adolescent brain structure and adult psychopathology may further elucidate the neural underpinnings of adult ADHD symptomatology, as well as help to characterize different ee disease trajectories. Such efforts may inform early intervention and prevention strategies
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