BACKGROUND: Fatty acids, in particular omega-3 fatty acids, have been found to affect behavior and cognition both directly and indirectly. Evidence to suggest a link with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) derives from three key areas: 1) animal dietary restriction studies observed increased locomotive hyperactivity and reduced cognitive ability in offspring; 2) animal dietary studies indicate alterations in the dopamine pathway; and 3) human studies report reduced plasma omega-3 fatty acids in ADHD subjects. METHODS: We investigated three genes that encode essential enzymes (desaturases) for the metabolism of fatty acids by scanning for genetic association between 45 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and ADHD. RESULTS: Our findings suggest a significant association of ADHD with SNP rs498793 (case-control p = .004, odds ratio [OR] 1.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-2.23; transmission disequilibrium test [TDT] p = .014, OR 1.69) in the fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) gene. As alcohol is known to decrease the activities of these desaturase enzymes, we also tested for interactions between ADHD subjects' genotypes and maternal use of alcohol during pregnancy. Two SNPs in the fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) gene were nominally associated with ADHD only in the prenatal alcohol-exposed group of children; formal test for interaction was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings are suggestive of an association between FADS2 and ADHD.
BACKGROUND:Fatty acids, in particular omega-3 fatty acids, have been found to affect behavior and cognition both directly and indirectly. Evidence to suggest a link with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) derives from three key areas: 1) animal dietary restriction studies observed increased locomotive hyperactivity and reduced cognitive ability in offspring; 2) animal dietary studies indicate alterations in the dopamine pathway; and 3) human studies report reduced plasma omega-3 fatty acids in ADHD subjects. METHODS: We investigated three genes that encode essential enzymes (desaturases) for the metabolism of fatty acids by scanning for genetic association between 45 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and ADHD. RESULTS: Our findings suggest a significant association of ADHD with SNP rs498793 (case-control p = .004, odds ratio [OR] 1.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-2.23; transmission disequilibrium test [TDT] p = .014, OR 1.69) in the fatty acid desaturase 2 (FADS2) gene. As alcohol is known to decrease the activities of these desaturase enzymes, we also tested for interactions between ADHD subjects' genotypes and maternal use of alcohol during pregnancy. Two SNPs in the fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) gene were nominally associated with ADHD only in the prenatal alcohol-exposed group of children; formal test for interaction was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings are suggestive of an association between FADS2 and ADHD.
Authors: L Eugene Arnold; Andrea S Young; Martha A Belury; Rachel M Cole; Barbara Gracious; Adina M Seidenfeld; Hannah Wolfson; Mary A Fristad Journal: J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol Date: 2017-02-03 Impact factor: 2.576
Authors: Holly T Reardon; Woo Jung Park; Jimmy Zhang; Peter Lawrence; Kumar S D Kothapalli; J Thomas Brenna Journal: J Lipid Res Date: 2011-10-06 Impact factor: 5.922
Authors: J P Schuchardt; T Köbe; V Witte; J Willers; A Gingrich; V Tesky; J Pantel; D Rujescu; T Illig; A Flöel; A Hahn Journal: J Nutr Health Aging Date: 2016 Impact factor: 4.075
Authors: Holly T Reardon; Jimmy Zhang; Kumar S D Kothapalli; Andrea J Kim; Woo Jung Park; J Thomas Brenna Journal: Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids Date: 2012-06-27 Impact factor: 4.006
Authors: Andrew A Hicks; Peter P Pramstaller; Asa Johansson; Veronique Vitart; Igor Rudan; Peter Ugocsai; Yurii Aulchenko; Christopher S Franklin; Gerhard Liebisch; Jeanette Erdmann; Inger Jonasson; Irina V Zorkoltseva; Cristian Pattaro; Caroline Hayward; Aaron Isaacs; Christian Hengstenberg; Susan Campbell; Carsten Gnewuch; A Cecilej W Janssens; Anatoly V Kirichenko; Inke R König; Fabio Marroni; Ozren Polasek; Ayse Demirkan; Ivana Kolcic; Christine Schwienbacher; Wilmar Igl; Zrinka Biloglav; Jacqueline C M Witteman; Irene Pichler; Ghazal Zaboli; Tatiana I Axenovich; Annette Peters; Stefan Schreiber; H-Erich Wichmann; Heribert Schunkert; Nick Hastie; Ben A Oostra; Sarah H Wild; Thomas Meitinger; Ulf Gyllensten; Cornelia M van Duijn; James F Wilson; Alan Wright; Gerd Schmitz; Harry Campbell Journal: PLoS Genet Date: 2009-10-02 Impact factor: 5.917