Story perspectives

MRI Patterns Predict ADHD Trajectories Better Than Checklists

5/24/2026

Summary

Story summary

Researchers led by Qiang Luo (Fudan University) examined MRI scans of 7,436 in Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study.
After two years they classified youths as persistent, remitting or emergent.
Persistent, remitting and emergent youths showed distinct patterns: thinned in frontal cortex, grew left-hippocampus, and thinned slower in posterior cingulate.
A model using scans outperformed checklist predictions for ADHD severity at age thirteen, and medication use did not affect remitting trajectory.

1 of 1

Story summary

Researchers led by Qiang Luo (Fudan University) examined MRI scans of 7,436 in Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study.
After two years they classified youths as persistent, remitting or emergent.
Persistent, remitting and emergent youths showed distinct patterns: thinned in frontal cortex, grew left-hippocampus, and thinned slower in posterior cingulate.
A model using scans outperformed checklist predictions for ADHD severity at age thirteen, and medication use did not affect remitting trajectory.