Reduced striatal brain volumes in non-medicated adult ADHD patients with comorbid cocaine dependence

Abstract

Background: Adult attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is highly comorbid with other psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorders (SUD). Patients with ADHD and SUD comorbidity respond less well to pharmacological treatment (e.g., methylphenidate), have more severe ADHD symptoms, and are generally more impulsive than ADHD patients without SUD. However, little is known about structural brain abnormalities that may differentiate ADHD patients with and without comorbid SUD. Methods: We compared regional grey matter volumes of 10 non-medicated male ADHD patients with comorbid cocaine dependence, 14 non-medicated male ADHD patients without cocaine dependence and 15 healthy c..