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Marsh CL, Harmon SL, Cho S, Chan ESM, Gaye F, DeGeorge L, Black KE, Irwin Harper LN, Kofler MJ. Does Anxiety Systematically Bias Estimates of Executive Functioning Deficits in Pediatric Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder? Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol 2024; 52:773-787. [PMID: 38157122 PMCID: PMC11216413 DOI: 10.1007/s10802-023-01152-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that childhood ADHD is associated with larger impairments in working memory relative to inhibition. However, most studies have not considered the role of co-occurring anxiety on these estimates - a potentially significant confound given prior evidence that anxiety may increase working memory difficulties but decrease inhibition difficulties for these children. The current study extends prior work to examine the extent to which co-occurring anxiety may be systematically affecting recent estimates of the magnitude of working memory/inhibitory control deficits in ADHD. The carefully-phenotyped sample included 197 children with ADHD and 142 children without ADHD between the ages of 8 and 13 years (N = 339; Mage = 10.31, SD = 1.39; 144 female participants). Results demonstrated that ADHD diagnosis predicted small impairments in inhibitory control (d = 0.31) and large impairments in working memory (d = 0.99). However, child trait anxiety assessed dimensionally across multiple informants (child, parent, teacher) did not uniquely predict either executive function, nor did it moderate estimates of ADHD-related working memory/inhibition deficits. When evaluating anxiety categorically and controlling for ADHD, anxiety diagnosis predicted slightly better working memory (d = 0.19) but not inhibitory control for clinically evaluated children generally. Findings from the current study indicate that trait anxiety, measured dimensionally or categorically, does not differentially affect estimates of executive dysfunction in pediatric ADHD. Further, results suggest that trait anxiety is generally not associated with executive dysfunction above and beyond the impact of co-occurring ADHD. Future research is needed to further assess the role of anxiety in ADHD behavioral symptomatology, neurocognitive functioning, and mechanisms underlying these relations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolyn L Marsh
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4301, USA
| | - Sherelle L Harmon
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4301, USA
| | - Sooyun Cho
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4301, USA
| | - Elizabeth S M Chan
- Rutgers University, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Fatou Gaye
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4301, USA
| | - Lauren DeGeorge
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4301, USA
| | - Katie E Black
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4301, USA
| | - Lauren N Irwin Harper
- Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, Center for Behavioral Health, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
| | - Michael J Kofler
- Florida State University, Department of Psychology, 1107 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4301, USA.
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Tunagur MT, Aksu H, Kurt Tunagur EM, Yilmaz M. Associations between neurological soft signs, executive functions, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in boys with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Indian J Psychiatry 2024; 66:433-439. [PMID: 38919566 PMCID: PMC11195744 DOI: 10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_694_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Background To determine the association between neurological soft signs, executive functions, and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods Serum BDNF levels were measured in 87 drug-naive boys with ADHD, aged 7-12 years. The Revised Physical and Neurological Examination for Subtle Signs for neurological soft signs, Stroop Color-Word Test for attention functions, and Judgment of Line Orientation Test (JLOT) for visuospatial abilities were performed. Results Age correlated negatively with dysrhythmia, total time, and total overflow in timed movements, Stroop Color-Word Time (SCWT), and serum BDNF levels. The JLOT significantly negatively correlated with Total Gaits and Stations (P1) and Total Time in Timed Movements (adjusted R 2 = 0.247). In addition, SCWT maintained a significant correlation with Total Overflow in Timed Movements (adjusted R 2 = 0.206). There was no correlation between serum BDNF levels and NSS. Conclusion The association between NSS, visuospatial abilities, and selective attention may express a maturational delay in ADHD pathophysiology. Moreover, BDNF may play a role in this maturational delay. Future studies should investigate the contribution of BDNF to neuronal maturation in ADHD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hatice Aksu
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Türkiye
| | | | - Mustafa Yilmaz
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Aydin Adnan Menderes University, Türkiye
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Anning KL, Langley K, Hobson C, De Sonneville L, Van Goozen SHM. Inattention symptom severity and cognitive processes in children at risk of ADHD: the moderating role of separation anxiety. Child Neuropsychol 2024; 30:264-288. [PMID: 36960813 DOI: 10.1080/09297049.2023.2190964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
Impairments in cognitive processes and their associations with dimensional measures of inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity and anxiety were examined in children at risk of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Children referred by teachers for exhibiting ADHD-type problems (n = 116; 43 meeting full diagnostic criteria for ADHD; 4-8 years) completed computerized tasks measuring episodic memory, response inhibition, visuomotor control and sustained attention, while parents were interviewed (DAWBA) to assess ADHD and anxiety symptoms. Of the 116 children assessed, 72% exhibited impaired cognitive processes; 47% had impaired visuomotor control, 37% impaired response inhibition, and 35% had impaired episodic memory. Correlational and hierarchical regression analyses using our final analytic sample (i.e., children who completed all cognitive tasks and a vocabulary assessment, n = 114) showed that poorer task performance and greater within-subject variability were significantly associated with more severe inattention symptoms but not with hyperactivity-impulsivity severity. Symptoms of separation anxiety, which were reported in over half of the sample, moderated associations between inattention and episodic memory, and between inattention and inhibition. Only children without separation anxiety showed significant correlations between ADHD symptoms and poor performance. However, separation anxiety had no moderating effect on associations between inattention and visuomotor control or sustaining attention. Children exhibiting signs of ADHD show impairments across a range of cognitive tasks. Further research to improve our understanding of these processes may be useful in the development of early interventions. Our results suggest that separation anxiety should be taken into account when considering interventions to address emerging neuropsychological deficits associated with this disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate L Anning
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Kate Langley
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | | | - Leo De Sonneville
- Department of Clinical Neurodevelopmental Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Stephanie H M Van Goozen
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
- Department of Clinical Neurodevelopmental Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE The adverse outcomes associated with ADHD are well known, but less is known about the minority of children with ADHD who may be flourishing despite this neurodevelopmental risk. The present multi-informant study is an initial step in this direction with the basic but unanswered question: Are there resilient children with ADHD? METHOD Reliable change analysis of the BASC-3 Resiliency subscale for a clinically evaluated sample of 206 children with and without ADHD (ages 8-13; 81 girls; 66.5% White/Non-Hispanic). RESULTS Most children with ADHD are perceived by their parents and teachers as resilient (52.8%-59.2%), with rates that did not differ from the comorbidity-matched Non-ADHD sample. CONCLUSION Exploratory analyses highlighted the importance of identifying factors that promote resilience for children with ADHD specifically, such that some child characteristics were promotive (associated with resilience for both groups), some were protective (associated with resilience only for children with ADHD), and some were beneficial only for children without ADHD.
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Genetic variations influence brain changes in patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:349. [PMID: 34091591 PMCID: PMC8179928 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01473-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological and neurodevelopmental childhood-onset disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of inattentiveness, impulsiveness, restlessness, and hyperactivity. These symptoms may continue in 55-66% of cases from childhood into adulthood. Even though the precise etiology of ADHD is not fully understood, it is considered as a multifactorial and heterogeneous disorder with several contributing factors such as heritability, auxiliary to neurodevelopmental issues, severe brain injuries, neuroinflammation, consanguineous marriages, premature birth, and exposure to environmental toxins. Neuroimaging and neurodevelopmental assessments may help to explore the possible role of genetic variations on ADHD neuropsychobiology. Multiple genetic studies have observed a strong genetic association with various aspects of neuropsychobiological functions, including neural abnormalities and delayed neurodevelopment in ADHD. The advancement in neuroimaging and molecular genomics offers the opportunity to analyze the impact of genetic variations alongside its dysregulated pathways on structural and functional derived brain imaging phenotypes in various neurological and psychiatric disorders, including ADHD. Recently, neuroimaging genomic studies observed a significant association of brain imaging phenotypes with genetic susceptibility in ADHD. Integrating the neuroimaging-derived phenotypes with genomics deciphers various neurobiological pathways that can be leveraged for the development of novel clinical biomarkers, new treatment modalities as well as therapeutic interventions for ADHD patients. In this review, we discuss the neurobiology of ADHD with particular emphasis on structural and functional changes in the ADHD brain and their interactions with complex genomic variations utilizing imaging genetics methodologies. We also highlight the genetic variants supposedly allied with the development of ADHD and how these, in turn, may affect the brain circuit function and related behaviors. In addition to reviewing imaging genetic studies, we also examine the need for complementary approaches at various levels of biological complexity and emphasize the importance of combining and integrating results to explore biological pathways involved in ADHD disorder. These approaches include animal models, computational biology, bioinformatics analyses, and multimodal imaging genetics studies.
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de la Peña IC, Pan MC, Thai CG, Alisso T. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Predominantly Inattentive Subtype/Presentation: Research Progress and Translational Studies. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10050292. [PMID: 32422912 PMCID: PMC7287898 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10050292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Research on the predominantly inattentive attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD-PI) subtype/presentation is important given its high prevalence, but paradoxically it is under-recognized and undertreated. The temporal stability of the inattention symptom could impact the high worldwide prevalence of ADHD-PI. Some evidence suggests differences in the nature of attentional deficit in ADHD-PI vs. that in other subtypes. Impairments in neuropsychological, neurocognitive, and social functioning are also evident in ADHD-PI, which could be specific to the subtype (e.g., processing speed, social perception, and skills), or differ from others in severity. Neuroimaging studies have also revealed ADHD-PI-specific neuropathological abnormalities and those that are shared with other subtypes. ADHD-PI is highly comorbid with learning and internalizing (e.g., anxiety and depression) disorders. There is no solid evidence for ADHD-PI-specific genetic etiologies and differential responses of subtypes to ADHD medications. Translational studies have used the Wistar Kyoto/NCrl substrain which requires further characterizations as an ADHD-PI model. Overall, ADHD-PI research has been conducted in the context of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, which arguably does not conform to the widely recognized "dimensional" view of ADHD. The Research Domain Criteria has been proposed to provide a novel framework for understanding the nature of neuropsychiatric illnesses and ultimately improve their diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ike C. de la Peña
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA; (C.G.T.); (T.A.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-909-651-5995; Fax: +1-909-558-0446
| | - Michael C. Pan
- Department of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul 02841, Korea;
- Division of Social Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas Tacloban College, Tacloban 6500, Philippines
| | - Chau Giang Thai
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA; (C.G.T.); (T.A.)
| | - Tamara Alisso
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Administrative Sciences, Loma Linda University School of Pharmacy, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA; (C.G.T.); (T.A.)
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Chu CH, Chen SR, Wu CH, Cheng YC, Cho YM, Chang YK. The effects of negative air ions on cognitive function: an event-related potential (ERP) study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2019; 63:1309-1317. [PMID: 31240386 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-019-01745-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2018] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the effects of negative air ions (NAIs) on cognitive function in young male adults, specifically examined whether NAIs could influence the behavioral and neuroelectrical indices of inhibition. Thirty-nine young adults participated in the NAI and the control sessions in a counterbalanced order. A computerized Stroop color-word test was administrated, and N2 of the event-related potential was recorded and then analyzed. The results revealed that participants in the NAI session demonstrated shorter reaction times and higher accuracy for both Stroop congruent and incongruent trials. Larger N2 amplitudes were also observed in the NAI session than in the control session, whereas no alterations in the latencies were found. These findings suggest that NAIs resulted in a general improvement in both basic information processing and inhibition. This facilitation may be related to an enhanced neuronal processing or alertness status reflected by larger amplitudes of the N2 component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Heng Chu
- Department of Physical Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Su-Ru Chen
- Post-Baccalaureate Program in Nursing and School of Nursing, College of Nursing, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chih-Han Wu
- Graduate Institute of Athletics and Coaching Science, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yung-Chao Cheng
- Office of Research and Development, National Taiwan Sport University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Min Cho
- Center for East-West Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
| | - Yu-Kai Chang
- Department of Physical Education, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
- Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
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Danforth JS, Doerfler LA, Connor DF. Does Anxiety Modify the Risk for, or Severity of, Conduct Problems Among Children With Co-Occurring ADHD: Categorical and Dimensional and Analyses. J Atten Disord 2019; 23:797-808. [PMID: 28845711 DOI: 10.1177/1087054717723985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The goal was to examine whether anxiety modifies the risk for, or severity of, conduct problems in children with ADHD. METHOD Assessment included both categorical and dimensional measures of ADHD, anxiety, and conduct problems. Analyses compared conduct problems between children with ADHD features alone versus children with co-occurring ADHD and anxiety features. RESULTS When assessed by dimensional rating scales, results showed that compared with children with ADHD alone, those children with ADHD co-occurring with anxiety are at risk for more intense conduct problems. When assessment included a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) diagnosis via the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Epidemiologic Version (K-SADS), results showed that compared with children with ADHD alone, those children with ADHD co-occurring with anxiety neither had more intense conduct problems nor were they more likely to be diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorder. CONCLUSION Different methodological measures of ADHD, anxiety, and conduct problem features influenced the outcome of the analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Leonard A Doerfler
- 2 Assumption College, Worcester, MA, USA; University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, USA
| | - Daniel F Connor
- 3 University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Health Care, Farmington, USA
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Castagna PJ, Calamia M, Roye S, Greening SG, Davis TE. The effects of childhood inattention and anxiety on executive functioning: inhibition, updating, and shifting. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 11:423-432. [DOI: 10.1007/s12402-019-00306-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Hirjak D, Meyer-Lindenberg A, Fritze S, Sambataro F, Kubera KM, Wolf RC. Motor dysfunction as research domain across bipolar, obsessive-compulsive and neurodevelopmental disorders. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 95:315-335. [PMID: 30236781 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 09/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Although genuine motor abnormalities (GMA) are frequently found in schizophrenia, they are also considered as an intrinsic feature of bipolar, obsessive-compulsive, and neurodevelopmental disorders with early onset such as autism, ADHD, and Tourette syndrome. Such transnosological observations strongly suggest a common neural pathophysiology. This systematic review highlights the evidence on GMA and their neuroanatomical substrates in bipolar, obsessive-compulsive, and neurodevelopmental disorders. The data lends support for a common pattern contributing to GMA expression in these diseases that seems to be related to cerebello-thalamo-cortical, fronto-parietal, and cortico-subcortical motor circuit dysfunction. The identified studies provide first evidence for a motor network dysfunction as a correlate of early neurodevelopmental deviance prior to clinical symptom expression. There are also first hints for a developmental risk factor model of these mental disorders. An in-depth analysis of motor networks and related patho-(physiological) mechanisms will not only help promoting Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Motor System construct, but also facilitate the development of novel psychopharmacological models, as well as the identification of neurobiologically plausible target sites for non-invasive brain stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dusan Hirjak
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Stefan Fritze
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | | | - Katharina M Kubera
- Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Psychiatry, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Robert C Wolf
- Center for Psychosocial Medicine, Department of General Psychiatry, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Blanken LME, White T, Mous SE, Basten M, Muetzel RL, Jaddoe VWV, Wals M, van der Ende J, Verhulst FC, Tiemeier H. Cognitive functioning in children with internalising, externalising and dysregulation problems: a population-based study. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2017; 26:445-456. [PMID: 27645702 PMCID: PMC5364260 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-016-0903-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Psychiatric symptoms in childhood are closely related to neurocognitive deficits. However, it is unclear whether internalising and externalising symptoms are associated with general or distinct cognitive problems. We examined the relation between different types of psychiatric symptoms and neurocognitive functioning in a population-based sample of 1177 school-aged children. Internalising and externalising behaviour was studied both continuously and categorically. For continuous, variable-centred analyses, broadband scores of internalising and externalising symptoms were used. However, these measures are strongly correlated, which may prevent identification of distinct cognitive patterns. To distinguish groups of children with relatively homogeneous symptom patterns, a latent profile analysis of symptoms at age 6 yielded four exclusive groups of children: a class of children with predominantly internalising symptoms, a class with externalising symptoms, a class with co-occurring internalising and externalising symptoms, that resembles the CBCL dysregulation profile and a class with no problems. Five domains of neurocognitive ability were tested: attention/executive functioning, language, memory and learning, sensorimotor functioning, and visuospatial processing. Consistently, these two different modelling approaches demonstrated that children with internalising and externalising symptoms show distinct cognitive profiles. Children with more externalising symptoms performed lower in the attention/executive functioning domain, while children with more internalising symptoms showed impairment in verbal fluency and memory. In the most severely affected class of children with internalising and externalising symptoms, we found specific impairment in the sensorimotor domain. This study illustrates the specific interrelation of internalising and externalising symptoms and cognition in young children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M E Blanken
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tonya White
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Sabine E Mous
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Maartje Basten
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ryan L Muetzel
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent W V Jaddoe
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Paediatrics, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, room Na-2818, P.O.Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marjolein Wals
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Institute of Psychology, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jan van der Ende
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Frank C Verhulst
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henning Tiemeier
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus MC-Sophia, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, room Na-2818, P.O.Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Fluegge K. Does environmental exposure to the greenhouse gas, N 2O, contribute to etiological factors in neurodevelopmental disorders? A mini-review of the evidence. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY 2016; 47:6-18. [PMID: 27566494 DOI: 10.1016/j.etap.2016.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2016] [Revised: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 08/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurodevelopmental disorders are increasing in prevalence worldwide. Previous work suggests that exposure to the environmental air pollutant and greenhouse gas - nitrous oxide (N2O) - may be an etiological factor in neurodevelopmental disorders through the targeting of several neural correlates. METHODOLOGY While a number of recent systematic reviews have addressed the role of general anesthesia in the surgical setting and neurodevelopmental outcomes, a narrative mini-review was conducted to first define and characterize the relevant variables (i.e., N2O, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] and autism spectrum disorders [ASD]) and their potential interactions into a coherent, hypothesis-generating work. The narrative mini-review merges basic principles in environmental science, anesthesiology, and psychiatry to more fully develop the novel hypotheses that neurodevelopmental impairment found in conditions like ADHD and ASD may be due to exposure to the increasing air pollutant, N2O. RESULTS The results of the present mini-review indicate that exposure to N2O, even at non-toxic doses, may modulate central neurotransmission and target many neural substrates directly implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders, including the glutamatergic, opioidergic, cholinergic, and dopaminergic systems. Epidemiological studies also indicate that early and repeated exposure to general anesthesia, including N2O, may contribute to later adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children. CONCLUSIONS The current evidence and subsequent hypotheses suggest that a renewed interest be taken in the toxicological assessment of environmental N2O exposure using validated biomarkers and psychiatric endpoints. Given the relevance of N2O as a greenhouse gas, societies may also wish to engage in a more robust monitoring and reporting of N2O levels in the environment for climactic benefit as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Fluegge
- Institute of Health and Environmental Research, Cleveland, OH 44118, USA.
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