The relationship between antioxidant status and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) among Iranian children

Introduction: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders in childhood. Recent studies have reported an increase in oxidative stress in ADHD but conflicted result is reported. This research aimed to the relationship between antioxidant statuses with ADHD in children Aged 6 to 13 years old.Methods: 32 boys with ADHD whose diseases were diagnosed by child and adolescence psychiatrist based on DSM-IV index; and 32 healthy subjects, which according to the medical history questionnaire of psychiatric disorder had not had chronic disease, were selected. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase (CAT), glutathione (GSH) and malondiadehyde (MDA) were measured in this study. General information and health history were collected using demographic questionnaire. All participants completed a 168-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Dietary intakes of antioxidants including Vitamin E, C, Selenium (Se), Zinc (Zn) and beta-carotene were obtained through thisquestionnaire. Results: There was no significant difference between mean of age, weight; height body mass index (BMI), Zn, Se, vitamin E, C and beta-carotene; energy intake between two groups. The mean of serum TAC, GSH level and CAT level in the patients were significantly lower than the healthy group (p<0.001), but the mean of MDA was not significantly different between the two groups (p=0.18.) Conclusion: In ADHD, serum levels of GSH, CAT and TAC have decrease; and the level of antioxidant in the serum has been compromised to fight oxidative stress. However, more perspective studies with large sample sizes are needed to confirm these findings.

کلیدواژه ها:

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ، antioxidant ، oxidative stress