J Korean Child Neurol Soc.  2018 Jun;26(2):100-104. 10.26815/jkcns.2018.26.2.100.

The Correlation between ADHD and Brain MRI Findings in Children with Epilepsy

• Moon JU
• Yoon DH
• Park SY
• Im SA
• Lee IG

• KMID: 2435244
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.26815/jkcns.2018.26.2.100

Abstract

PURPOSE
We analyze the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of children with epilepsy and concomitant attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to investigate the correlation between brain MRI and ADHD, and to determine whether abnormal MRI finding can be a risk factor for the development of ADHD.
METHODS
A total of 55 patients (36 male, 19 female) were diagnosed as ADHD in children with epilepsy at the pediatric neurology department of Seoul St. Mary hospital from March, 2009 to December, 2013. The records of these patients were retrospectively reviewed.
RESULTS
29 patients (52.7%) had normal MRI findings, and 26 patients (47.3%) had abnormal MRI findings. The inattention type of ADHD (96.5%) was the largest type in a group of normal brain MRI findings, but the combined type (53.8%) and the inattention type (46.2%) occupied the majority in a group of abnormal MRI findings. The score of symptom in inattention was 7.44/9 in a group of normal MRI findings, while 8.2/9 in a group of abnormal MRI findings. And the score of symptom in hyperactivity was 2.93/9 in a group of normal MRI findings, while it was 4.8/9 in a group of abnormal MRI findings (P < 0.001). 7 patients (12.7%) revealed hippocampal sclerosis out of 26 abnormal MRI findings, and they had significantly higher scores of ADHD symptoms (8.57/9, 4.8/9) compared to normal group (7.83/9, 4.23/9).
CONCLUSION
Abnormal MRI findings in children with epilepsy are not only closely related to ADHD but may also be associated with the severity of ADHD.

Keyword

Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity; Epilepsy; Brain MRI

MeSH Terms

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
Brain*
Child*
Epilepsy*
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Male
Neurology
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Sclerosis
Seoul