Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) biostatus has been proposed as possible attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis biomarker. The present exploratory study aimed to investigate the association between PUFAs biostatus and cerebral cortex metabolism measured by functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) in a sample of children with and without ADHD. 24 children with ADHD and 22 typically developing (TD) peers, aged 8–14, were recruited. Linoleic, arachidonic, docosahexaenoic and eicosapentaenoic acids levels were evaluated in whole blood. All children underwent fNIRS while performing an n-back working memory task. Between groups comparisons revealed lower levels of arachidonic acid in children with ADHD and stronger NIRS signal in TD participants, especially when completing more difficult tasks. Correlations conducted between fNIRS activation and PUFA biostatus revealed several associations between hemodynamic changes in the frontoparietal regions and fatty acids profile across participants. This result was also confirmed by the multiple hierarchical regression analyses that remarked an inverse effect of eicosapentaenoic acid levels on oxyhemoglobin values in right frontoparietal region. Such preliminary findings, if confirmed, would suggest that PUFAs could play a role in atypical neurodevelopment.
Highlights
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which affects approximately 7.2% of children worldwide, is the most common childhood neurodevelopmental disorder [1]
With respect to the association between hemodynamic activations that differentiate the clinical group from the typically developing (TD) group and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) severity scores, our results showed a marginally significant positive correlation (Spearman’s rho = 0.501, p < 0.05) between HbO values in right frontoparietal ROI in the 2-back condition and Conners’ ADHD index
In regard to the changes in the oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin concentrations measured by functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) during performance of n-back working memory tasks, we found different activation patterns in children with ADHD than in their TD peers
Summary
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which affects approximately 7.2% of children worldwide, is the most common childhood neurodevelopmental disorder [1]. ADHD is a complex and multifactorial condition. Its core symptoms reflect a lack of self-regulating behavior, cognition. ADHD manifestations are heterogeneous and impact cognition and behavior through a multifaceted aetiopathogenesis that involves biological, psychosocial, and environmental aspects. Given this complexity, an objective diagnosis biomarker has not been established. The ADHD diagnostic process relies on subjective criteria, such as clinical interviews, observations, and rating scales. Insight into the biological markers associated with typical and atypical development could offer clinicians more reliable tools for ADHD assessment and the opportunity to implement targeted treatment plans [3]
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