Giuseppe Pastura1, Tadeu Takao Almodovar Kubo2, Maria Angélica Regalla3, Cíntia Machado Mesquita3, Gabriel Coutinho4, Emerson Leandro Gasparetto5, Otávio Figueiredo6, Paulo Mattos7, Alexandra Prüfer de Queiroz Campos Araújo1. 1. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Pediatria, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil. 2. Clínica de Diagnóstico por Imagem (CDPI), Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil. 3. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Psiquiatria, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil. 4. Centro de Neuropsicologia Aplicada/Instituto D`Or, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil. 5. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Radiologia, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil. 6. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto COPPEAD, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil. 7. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Psiquiatria, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brasil.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To perform a pilot study to investigate the association between working memory and cortical thickness in a sample of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children. METHODS: Seventeen children aged 7-10 years diagnosed with ADHD and 16 healthy children underwent a magnetic resonance scan for cortical thickness measurements. Data was correlated with working memory performance using the Backwards Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. RESULTS: Working memory impairment, evidenced by lower scores on the Backwards Digit Span, was observed in patients with ADHD compared to healthy controls. There was a direct correlation between working memory and cortical thickness of the left medial temporal lobe (Spearman's correlation coefficient: 0.499; p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggests, for the first time, a correlation between working memory, evaluated by the Backwards Digit Span, and left medial temporal cortical thickness.
OBJECTIVE: To perform a pilot study to investigate the association between working memory and cortical thickness in a sample of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children. METHODS: Seventeen children aged 7-10 years diagnosed with ADHD and 16 healthy children underwent a magnetic resonance scan for cortical thickness measurements. Data was correlated with working memory performance using the Backwards Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. RESULTS: Working memory impairment, evidenced by lower scores on the Backwards Digit Span, was observed in patients with ADHD compared to healthy controls. There was a direct correlation between working memory and cortical thickness of the left medial temporal lobe (Spearman's correlation coefficient: 0.499; p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggests, for the first time, a correlation between working memory, evaluated by the Backwards Digit Span, and left medial temporal cortical thickness.