Assessing Brain Iron and Its Relationship to Cognition and Comorbidity in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder With Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping

Quantitative susceptibility mapping is a neuroimaging technique that detects local changes in magnetic susceptibility induced by brain iron. Brain iron and the dopaminergic system are linked because iron is an important cofactor for dopamine synthesis. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with dysregulation of dopaminergic transmission. Therefore, we applied quantitative susceptibility mapping on subcortical structures to study potential alterations in brain iron and its impact on cognition and mental health in children with ADHD.