ADHD and the role of the posterior cingulate cortex in resting state studies of infant volunteers of Latin origin

Introduction: ADHD is the most common neurological disorder in children and adolescents with prevalence circa 5%. This illness is considered to be in an 80% originated by genetic factors and in a 20% by environmental factors. The Default Mode Network (DMN) is the main network active during rest and covers long areas of the brain. Of special relevance in it are: First, the medial temporal lobe which provides information from prior experiences, to use them for mental simulations (1). Second, the medial prefrontal region which facilitates a flexible use of information during the construction of self-relevant mental simulations. These two components of the DMN are integrated mainly in the posterior cingulate cortex (1). Patients with mental disorders like Schizophrenia or Autism have this region and its integration function compromised (2,3). Finally, most work on the default mode network has been performed in Asia, Europe and North America. Little amount of work to our knowledge exists in Latin America with Latin volunteers (different genetic pool). In this project we compared infant ADHD (AD) patients with healthy (H) ones, all from Latin origin. We assessed the differences with previous studies while focusing in the role of the posterior cingulate cortex.