Subcortical brain volume, regional cortical thickness and cortical surface area across attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Authors: Boedhoe Premika S.W. , van Rooij Daan , Hoogman Martine , Twisk Jos W.R. , Schmaal Lianne , Abe Yoshinari , Alonso Pino , Ameis Stephanie H. , Anikin Anatoly , Anticevic Alan , Aherson Philip , Arango Celso , Arnold Paul D. , Assogna Francesca , Auzias Guillaume , Banaschewski Tobias , Baranov Alexander , Batistuzzo Marcelo C. , Baumeister Sarah , Baur-Streubel Ramona , Behrmann Marlene , Bellgrove Mark A. , Benedetti Francesco , Beucke Jan C. , Biederman Joseph , Bollettini Irene , Bose Anushree , Bralten Janita , Bramati Ivanei E. , Brandeis Daniel , Brem Silvia , Brennan Brian P. , Busatto Geraldo F. , Calderoni Sara , Calvo Anna , Calvo Rosa , Castellanos Francisco X. , Cercignani Mara , Chaim-Avancini Tiffany M. , Chantiluke Kaylita C. , Cheng Yuqi , Cho Kang Ik K. , Christakou Anastasia , Coghill David , Conzelmann Annette , Cubillo Ana I. , Dale Anders M. , Dallaspezia Sara , Daly Eileen , Denys Damiaan , Deruelle Christine , Martino Adriana Di , Dinstein Ilan , Doyle Alysa E. , Durston Sarah , Earl Eric A. , Ecker Christine , Ehrlich Stefan , Ely Benjamin A. , Epstein Jeffery N. , Ethofer Thomas , Fair Damien A. , Fallgatter Andreas J. , Faraone Stephen V. , Fedor Jennifer , Feng Xin , Feusner Jamie D. , Fitzgerald Jackie , Fitzgerald Kate D. , Fouche Jean-Paul , Freitag Christine M. , Fridgeirsson Egill A. , Frodl Thomas , Gabel Matt C. , Gallagher Louise , Gogberashvili Tinatin , Gori Ilaria , Gruner Patricia , Gürsel Deniz A. , Haar Shlomi , Haavik Jan , Hall Geoffrey B. , Harrison Neil A. , Hartman Catharina A. , Heslenfeld Dirk J. , Hirano Yoshiyuki , Hoekstra Pieter J. , Hoexter Marcelo Q. , Hohmann Sarah , Høvik Marie F. , Hu Hao , Huyser Chaim , Jahanshad Neda , Jalbrzikowski Maria , James Anthony , Janssen Joost , Jaspers-Fayer Fern , Jernigan Terry L. , Kapilushniy Dmitry , Kardatzki Bernd , Karkashadze Georgii , Kathmann Norbert , Kaufmann Christian , Kelly Clare , Khadka Sabin , King Joseph A. , Koch Kathrin , Kohls Gregor , Kohls Kerstin , Kuno Masaru , Kuntsi Jonna , Kvale Gerd , Kwon Jun Soo , Lázaro Luisa , Lera-Miguel Sara , Lesch Klaus-Peter , Hoekstra Liesbeth , Liu Yanni , Lochner Christine , Louza Mario R. , Luna Beatriz , Lundervold Astri J. , Malpas Charles B. , Marques Paulo , Marsh Rachel , Martínez-Zalacaín Ignacio , Mataix-Cols David , Mattos Paulo , McCarthy Hazel , McGrath Jane , Mehta Mitul A. , Menchón José M. , Mennes Maarten , Martinho Mauricio Moller , Moreira Pedro S. , Morer Astrid , Morgado Pedro , Muratori Filippo , Murphy Clodagh M. , Murphy Declan G.M. , Nakagawa Akiko , Nakamae Takashi , Nakao Tomohiro , Namazova-Baranova Leyla , Narayanaswamy Janardhanan. C. , Nicolau Rosa , Nigg Joel T. , Novotny Stephanie E. , Nurmi Erika L. , Weiss Eileen Oberwelland , O’Gorman Tuura Ruth L. , O’Hearn Kirsten , O’Neill Joseph , Oosterlaan Jaap , Oranje Bob , Paloyelis Yannis , Parellada Mara , Pauli Paul , Perriello Chris , Piacentini John , Piras Fabrizio , Piras Federica , Plessen Kerstin J. , Puig Olga , Ramos-Quiroga J. Antoni , Janardhan Reddy Y.C. , Reif Andreas , Reneman Liesbeth , Retico Alessandra , Rosa Pedro G.P. , Rubia Katya , Rus Oana Georgiana , Sakai Yuki , Schrantee Anouk , Schwarz Lena , Schweren Lizanne J.S. , Seitz Jochen , Shaw Philip , Shook Devon , Silk Tim J. , Simpson H. Blair , Skokauskas Norbert , Soliva Vila Juan Carlos , Solovieva Anastasia , Soreni Noam , Soriano-Mas Carles , Spalletta Gianfranco , Stern Emily R. , Stevens Michael C. , Stewart S. Evelyn , Sudre Gustavo , Szeszko Philip R. , Tamm Leanne , Taylor Margot J. , Tolin David F. , Tosetti Michela , Tovar-Moll Fernanda , Tsuchiyagaito Aki , van Erp Theo G.M. , van Wingen Guido A. , Vance Alasdair , Venkatasubramanian Ganesan , Vilarroya Oscar , Vives-Gilabert Yolanda , von Polier Georg G. , Walitza Susanne , Wallace Gregory L. , Wang Zhen , Wolfers Thomas , Yoncheva Yuliya N. , Yun Je-Yeon , Zanetti Marcus V. , Zhou Fengfeng , Ziegler Georg C. , Zierhut Kathrin C. , Zwiers Marcel P. ,   the ENIGMA-ADHD working group,   the ENIGMA-ASD working group,   the ENIGMA-OCD working group, Thompson Paul M. , Stein Dan J. , Buitelaar Jan , Franke Barbara , van den Heuvel Odile A. 
Published: June 2019

Objective

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are common neurodevelopmental disorders that frequently co-occur. We aimed to directly compare all three disorders. The ENIGMA consortium is ideally positioned to investigate structural brain alterations across these disorders.

Methods

Structural T1-weighted whole-brain MRI of controls (n=5,827) and patients with ADHD (n=2,271), ASD (n=1,777), and OCD (n=2,323) from 151 cohorts worldwide were analyzed using standardized processing protocols. We examined subcortical volume, cortical thickness and surface area differences within a mega-analytical framework, pooling measures extracted from each cohort. Analyses were performed separately for children, adolescents, and adults using linear mixed-effects models adjusting for age, sex and site (and ICV for subcortical and surface area measures).

Results

We found no shared alterations among all three disorders, while shared alterations between any two disorders did not survive multiple comparisons correction. Children with ADHD compared to those with OCD had smaller hippocampal volumes, possibly influenced by IQ. Children and adolescents with ADHD also had smaller ICV than controls and those with OCD or ASD. Adults with ASD showed thicker frontal cortices compared to adult controls and other clinical groups. No OCD-specific alterations across different age-groups and surface area alterations among all disorders in childhood and adulthood were observed.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest robust but subtle alterations across different age-groups among ADHD, ASD, and OCD. ADHD-specific ICV and hippocampal alterations in children and adolescents, and ASD-specific cortical thickness alterations in the frontal cortex in adults support previous work emphasizing neurodevelopmental alterations in these disorders.