Sex Differences in Caudate Nucleus Volume and Effortful Control in Middle Childhood

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterised by difficulties in self-regulation, including impairments in attentional and effortful control. Given findings that ADHD symptom presentation differs across genders, neurobiological research has increasingly focused on fronto-striatal circuits, particularly the caudate nucleus (CN), in relation to self-regulatory functioning. Yet the extent to which structural variation in the CN relates to ADHD-related traits in community samples, and whether this differs by gender, remains poorly understood. The present study examined whether CN volume was associated with effortful control in children aged 9–11 years, and whether sex moderated this relationship. Data from 184 children were analysed, drawn from a larger dataset with available brain imaging and behavioural measures. Effortful control was assessed using the Effortful Control subscale of the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analyses...Show moreAttention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is characterised by difficulties in self-regulation, including impairments in attentional and effortful control. Given findings that ADHD symptom presentation differs across genders, neurobiological research has increasingly focused on fronto-striatal circuits, particularly the caudate nucleus (CN), in relation to self-regulatory functioning. Yet the extent to which structural variation in the CN relates to ADHD-related traits in community samples, and whether this differs by gender, remains poorly understood. The present study examined whether CN volume was associated with effortful control in children aged 9–11 years, and whether sex moderated this relationship. Data from 184 children were analysed, drawn from a larger dataset with available brain imaging and behavioural measures. Effortful control was assessed using the Effortful Control subscale of the Early Adolescent Temperament Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between CN volume and effortful control, controlling for age and total brain volume. A hierarchical regression analysis was also used to examine sex differences in CN volume and to test for moderation of the CN–effortful control relationship by gender. CN volume was not significantly associated with effortful control (R² = .015, p = .969). Sex was associated with CN volume (ΔR² = .019, p = .020), with girls exhibiting relatively larger volumes than boys after controlling for total brain volume. The CN × sex interaction was not significant (ΔR² = .000, p = .817), indicating no evidence of moderation. These findings suggest that structural variation in the CN alone may not account for individual differences in effortful control during middle childhood, and that a more comprehensive understanding of ADHD heterogeneity will likely require integrative approaches that consider functional neural dynamics and broader developmental processes alongside static anatomical markers.Show less

Leiden University Student Repository

Documents

In Collections

Sex Differences in Caudate Nucleus Volume and Effortful Control in Middle Childhood