Increased number of subcortical hyperintensities on MRI in children and adolescents with Tourette's syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Objective: To investigate whether cerebral hyperintensities on T-2-weighted magnetic resonance images (MRI) are associated with childhood neuropsychiatric disorders. Method: The authors compared the frequency of cortical and subcortical cerebral hyperintensities in 100 children and adolescents with Tourette's syndrome, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 32 healthy comparison subjects. Results: The frequency of cerebral hyperintensities was significantly higher in subjects with Tourette's syndrome, OCD, or ADHD than in healthy comparison subjects; each diagnostic group seemed to contribute to this effect. Among the patient groups, the likelihood of detecting cerebral hyperintensities in the subcortex ( primarily the basal ganglia and thalamus) was significantly greater than in the cortex. Conclusions: A childhood diagnosis of Tourette's syndrome, OCD, or ADHD significantly increased the likelihood of detecting cerebral hyperintensities, particularly in the subcortex, supporting the notion that subcortical injury may play a role in the pathophysiology of these conditions.