Cortical Thickness in Children with Reading Disorder and/or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Author

Lauren Bandel, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

5-1-2023

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Kibby, Michelle

Abstract

Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Reading Disorder (RD), and comorbid RD/ADHD often demonstrate functional and structural differences in areas of the brain compared to typically developing comparison samples, and many of these areas are associated with cognitive functioning (e.g., working memory; Beneventi et al., 2009, 2010; Cortese et al., 2012; Duan et al., 2018; Mannel et al., 2015; McCarthy et al., 2014; Si et al., 2021; Vasic et al., 2008). Furthermore, children with ADHD and RD demonstrate differences in cortical thickness compared to typically developing controls (Altarelli et al., 2013; Batty, et al., 2010; Clark et al., 2014; Greven et al., 2015; Langer et al., 2019; Montes et al., 2010; Pastura et al., 2016; Shaw et al., 2013; Si et al., 2021; Williams et al., 2018). The current study aims to address gaps in research, as research on cortical thickness in these groups is limited, particularly in the comorbid group, and warrants additional examination. A pre-existing database from a larger, grant-funded study was used for this project. Participants in the database included children (8-12 years old) with RD, ADHD, RD/ADHD and typically developing controls who completed comprehensive neuropsychological testing and a structural MRI scan. Results of this study indicate that children with ADHD, RD, and comorbid RD/ADHD demonstrate cortical thinning in regions in the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes. Many of these areas appeared to be shared across disorders, but some seem to be specific to each disorder.