Nihal Yurteri1, İbrahim Ethem Şahin2, Ali Evren Tufan3. 1. a Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , Düzce University Medical Faculty , Düzce , Turkey. 2. b Department of Clinical Biochemistry , Düzce University Medical Faculty , Düzce , Turkey. 3. c Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University Medical Faculty , İstanbul , Turkey.
Abstract
Background and aim: Recent evidence suggests that growth factors might be involved in the pathophysiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim of this study was to determine whether serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), nerve growth factor (NGF), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were altered in children with ADHD. Methods: Serum levels of BDNF, GDNF, NT-3, NGF, VEGF and FGF-2 were analyzed in 49 treatment- naive children with ADHD and age, gender matched 36 healthy controls using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ADHD symptoms were scored by Du Paul ADHD Rating Scale and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results: We found that serum VEGF levels were significantly lower (p < 0.001) and GDNF levels were significantly higher in ADHD group compared to control group (p = 0.003). However, we found no correlations between ADHD symptoms and serum VEGF or GDNF levels. Furthermore, we observed no significant alterations in serum BDNF, NT-3, NGF, FGF-2 levels in children with ADHD. Conclusion: To our knowledge, the present study is the first to examine serum VEGF and FGF-2 levels in children with ADHD. Our results indicate that VEGF and GDNF might be involved in the etiology of ADHD. Further studies are required to determine the role of growth factors in the etiology and consequently in the treatment of ADHD.
Background and aim: Recent evidence suggests that growth factors might be involved in the pathophysiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim of this study was to determine whether serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), nerve growth factor (NGF), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were altered in children with ADHD. Methods: Serum levels of BDNF, GDNF, NT-3, NGF, VEGF and FGF-2 were analyzed in 49 treatment- naive children with ADHD and age, gender matched 36 healthy controls using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ADHD symptoms were scored by Du Paul ADHD Rating Scale and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Results: We found that serum VEGF levels were significantly lower (p < 0.001) and GDNF levels were significantly higher in ADHD group compared to control group (p = 0.003). However, we found no correlations between ADHD symptoms and serum VEGF or GDNF levels. Furthermore, we observed no significant alterations in serum BDNF, NT-3, NGF, FGF-2 levels in children with ADHD. Conclusion: To our knowledge, the present study is the first to examine serum VEGF and FGF-2 levels in children with ADHD. Our results indicate that VEGF and GDNF might be involved in the etiology of ADHD. Further studies are required to determine the role of growth factors in the etiology and consequently in the treatment of ADHD.
Authors: Hayley Dingsdale; Samantha M Garay; Hannah R Tyson; Katrina A Savory; Lorna A Sumption; Jemima S Kelleher; Kate Langley; Stephanie Van Goozen; Rosalind M John Journal: J Psychiatr Res Date: 2022-03-12 Impact factor: 5.250
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