Abstract
BackgroundUbiquinone has antioxidant properties and has been linked to cognitive performance in some neuropsychiatric disorders. Its role in specific learning disorder manifestations has not been previously investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to measure the blood levels of ubiquinone in a group of children with specific learning disorder in comparison to typically developing children and to investigate the correlation between ubiquinone levels in children with specific learning disorder and some of their intellectual capabilities, reading, spelling and writing performance. MethodsThe study included 71 native Arabic speaking children: 31 in the specific learning disorder group and 40 in the typically developing (TD) group. The abilities of the children with specific learning disorder were evaluated by the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale-4th edition, the Dyslexia Assessment Test, and the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities. The level of ubiquinone was measured in both groups by ELISA. Correlation between some aptitudes of children with specific learning disorder and the ubiquinone level was performed.ResultsThe blood levels of ubiquinone in the children with specific learning disorder group were less than those in the TD group. Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between ubiquinone and the scores of backward digit span abilities.ConclusionsUbiquinone has a role in the auditory working memory performance of children with specific learning disorder (with impairment in reading). The decreased levels of ubiquinone in this sample of children with specific learning disorder could have participated in the pathogenesis of this disorder.
Highlights
Ubiquinone has antioxidant properties and has been linked to cognitive performance in some neuropsychiatric disorders
Key messages This is the first study that was addressed to verify the involvement of ubiquinone in specific learning disorder
They visited the Learning Disability Research Clinic, the Phoniatric Research Clinic, the Psychiatry Clinic, and the Pediatric Neurology Research Clinic in the Medical Research Centre of Excellence in the National Research Centre complaining of poor scholastic achievement. They were selected when their age ranged from 6 to 10 years and when they are enrolled in the education system and if they were given the opportunity to study well yet fail to cope. They were included in the study when matching the criteria of specific learning disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 through psychiatric interview performed by an expert psychiatrist [6]
Summary
Ubiquinone has antioxidant properties and has been linked to cognitive performance in some neuropsychiatric disorders. The ubiquinone (coenzyme q 10) is an important factor in the mitochondrial respiratory chain and it has antioxidant properties. It has a neuroprotective effect and increases cerebral energy metabolism [1]. It is suggested to be involved in the proper functioning of the central nervous system, auditory sensory cells, auditory nerve, retina, skeletal muscles, and endocrine glands. These systems are highly dependent on oxidative metabolism for energy generation. Some studies suggested that ubiquinone supplementation could have a protective role on cognitive performance in animal and human trials and that its level in the brain could be related to cognitive performance [3,4,5]
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