Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and impulsivity have been linked to the functioning of the brain’s reward network. However, many of these studies focus on the anticipatory phase of reward processing and are limited by small sample sizes. In the current study, a community sample of 1081 adults (mean age = 28.8, SD = 3.7) completed a computerized functional magnetic resonance imaging task examining reward outcome. Out-of-scanner participants completed self-report measures of ADHD symptoms and impulsivity. A voxelwise t-test of activation during reward outcomes indicated activation in the left and right ventral striatum, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and the posterior cingulate, as well as greater activation in sensory and motor areas. In voxelwise regression analyses, neural response to reward in the left striatum, insula, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and lateral temporal cortex, as well as bilaterally in the occipital cortex, was inversely associated with inattentive symptoms of ADHD. No associations were found between neural response to reward and hyperactive symptoms of ADHD or impulsivity. Results were generally consistent in follow-up region of interest analyses. These findings suggest activation in reward network regions is linked to inattentive, but not hyperactive symptoms of ADHD, even in those without a diagnosis.
Impaired reward processing in the human prefrontal cortex distinguishes between persistent and remittent attention deficit hyperactivity disorder