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One of the problems that have marked the care of patients with Attention deficit and hyperactivity (ADHD) has been the lack of more objective diagnostic methods and criteria. Until now, the only way to identify this disorder was a list of symptoms that had to be interpreted by the professional.

ADHD and its effects on all areas of the brain

That could change thanks to discovery from a group of researchers, which will be exhibited at the Radiological Society of North America's 108th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, which will take place next week.

Studies have analyzed the data obtained from the MRI scans of nearly 8,000 children, of which 1,798 had a diagnosis of attention deficit, taking into account metrics such as brain volume, surface area, white matter integrity, and functional connectivity.

In this way, they found several characteristics that can be considered biomarkers of the disorder, which would allow an accurate diagnosis through neuroimaging techniques.

Attention deficit is a neurological disorder

One of the aspects that stands out is that they found significant changes in all brain regions investigated. This is surprising, they say, because previous evidence only pointed to possible differences in specific areas.

For example, they identified abnormal connectivity in neural circuits involved in auditory and memory processing; too, a thinner cortex and microstructural changes in the white matter, especially in the frontal region of the brain.

Coincidentally, the frontal lobe is an area involved in the control of impulsivity and attention, two aspects that are clearly affected in attention deficit syndrome.

Results like the one in this study, say the researchers, underscore that the attention deficit is a neurological disorder with neuro-structural and 2 functional manifestations, and not just an externalized syndrome in behavior.

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