Study finds two structural brain subtypes in ADHD
Mar 6th 2026
Machine learning on MRI scans of children and adolescents with ADHD revealed two brain-based subtypes with opposing gray matter patterns and distinct symptom profiles, pointing to potential routes for personalized diagnosis and treatment while noting the need for longitudinal confirmation.
- Researchers analyzed structural MRI from 135 youths with ADHD and 182 neurotypical controls from a public database.
- A standard group comparison showed no significant gray matter differences across all diagnosed patients.
- Machine learning clustering identified two distinct anatomical subtypes within the ADHD group.
- Subtype 1 showed increased gray matter in frontal regions and the cerebellum and was linked to severe inattention.
- Subtype 2 showed widespread gray matter reductions in the cerebellum, frontal regions, and hippocampus and was associated with higher overall severity and combined hyperactivity and impulsivity.
- Pseudo-time ordering and causal network analysis indicated different progression patterns, with frontal-cerebellar hubs in subtype 1 and broader hippocampal-driven networks in subtype 2.
- The study is cross-sectional, so longitudinal research is needed to confirm developmental trajectories.
- Findings suggest the possibility of biology-based diagnosis and more personalized treatments if validated by future studies.