Lag in maturation of the brain's intrinsic functional architecture in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

It was proposed that individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) exhibit delays in brain maturation. In the last decade, resting state functional imaging has enabled detailed investigation of neural connectivity patterns and has revealed that the human brain is functionally organized into large-scale connectivity networks. In this study, we demonstrate that the developing relationships between default mode network (DMN) and task positive networks (TPNs) exhibit significant and specific maturational lag in ADHD. Previous research has found that individuals with ADHD exhibit abnormalities in DMN-TPN relationships. Our results provide strong initial evidence that these alterations arise from delays in typical maturational patterns. Our results invite further investigation into the neurobiological mechanisms in ADHD that produce delays in development of large-scale networks.