title: Serum nerve growth factor (NGF) levels in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
abstract: Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed neurobehavioral disorder of childhood. The etiopathogeny of ADHD has not been totally defined. Recent reports have suggested a pathophysiological role of neurotrophins in ADHD. In this study, we evaluated serum levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) in patients with ADHD. The sample population consisted of 44 child or adolescent patients diagnosed with ADHD according to DSM-IV criteria; 36 healthy subjects were included in the study as controls. Venous blood samples were collected, and NGF levels were measured. The mean serum NGF levels of the ADHD patients were significantly higher than those of the controls. Age and gender of the patients were not correlated with serum NGF levels. There were no significant differences in NGF levels among the combined and predominantly inattentive subtypes of ADHD. Our study suggests that there are higher levels of serum NGF in drug naive ADHD patients, and that increased levels of NGF might have an important role in the pathophysiology of ADHD.
authors.affiliation: Ankara Pediatric & Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: dresraguney@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Esra
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guney
authors.affiliation: Yıldırım Beyazıt University Medical Faculty, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet Fatih
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ceylan
authors.affiliation: Osmangazi University Medical Faculty, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.affiliation: Aksaray University Science Faculty, Department of Biochemistry, Aksaray, Turkey.
authors.forename: Neslihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tekin
authors.affiliation: Ankara Pediatric & Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zeynep
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Goker
authors.affiliation: Ankara Pediatric & Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gulser
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Senses Dinc
authors.affiliation: Ankara Pediatric & Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Onder
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.affiliation: Ankara Pediatric & Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sevda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eker
authors.affiliation: Ankara Pediatric & Pediatric Hematology Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Department of Medical Biochemistry, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kizilgun
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D020932:Nerve Growth Factor
keywords: ADHD; NGF; Nerve growth factor; Neurodevelopment