Rich-Club Analysis in Adults With ADHD Connectomes Reveals an Abnormal Structural Core Network

Objective: Whether the abnormal connectome of brain's rich-club structure in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remains unclear. Method: The current study used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare the performance of 42 adults with ADHD and 59 typical development (TD) adults. Results: A reduced density of rich-clubs among structural hub nodes, including the bilateral precuneus, the insula, the caudate nucleus, the left putamen, and the right calcarine, was found in adults with ADHD. Moreover, lower global efficiency was found in adults with ADHD than in TD, which might be caused by a reduced density of rich-club connections in ADHD patients. Conclusion: Given that adults with ADHD have greater coupling strength between structural and functional connectivity than TD adults, connectome abnormalities with a reduced rich-club connectivity density might be accompanied by altered functional brain dynamics in ADHD patients.