Abnormal functional connectivity between the anterior cingulate and the default mode network in drug-naïve boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

A previous study indicated that adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) had a decreased anti-correlation between the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the default mode network (DMN). In this study, we investigated whether children with ADHD also show a decreased anti-correlation between the dACC and the DMN. We also explored the developmental characteristics of the resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the dACC with the DMN in children with ADHD. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained from a 3T scanner in 19 drug-naïve boys with ADHD and 23 controls. Compared with normal controls, the dACC in boys with ADHD showed a significantly decreased negative RSFC with the DMN, including the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate cortex. The RSFC strength between the dACC and the posterior cingulate cortex showed a significantly negative correlation with age in normal controls, but not in boys with ADHD. This decreased anti-correlation may suggest an abnormal balance or interaction between attentional and intrinsic thoughts. Our age-related analysis suggested an abnormal development pattern of the dACC-DMN interaction in ADHD.