OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the serum hepcidin levels in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) patients that were newly diagnosed with no history of psychotropic drugs. METHODS: A total of 70 ADHD patients and 69 healthy controls were enrolled in our study. During the diagnosis, the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime version were applied. The sociodemographic data form, Turgay DSM-IV-Based Child and Adolescent Behavior Disorders Screening and Rating Scale, and Conners’ Rating Scales-Revised: Long Form were used for the clinical evaluation. Serum hepcidin levels were measured and compared between the groups. RESULTS: No significant difference between the groups in terms of age (p=0.533) and gender (p=0.397) was determined. In addition, the groups did not differ significantly for the other sociodemographic variables recorded. Serum hepcidin levels were found to be significantly higher in the patients with ADHD than healthy controls (p=0.019). CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the total serum hepcidin levels in ADHD patients. Our study findings may suggest that high levels of hepcidin may cause iron dysregulation in ADHD patients. However, further studies are required to establish a definite conclusion.
Adolescent Behavior ; Adolescent ; Appointments and Schedules ; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity ; Child ; Diagnosis ; Hepcidins ; Humans ; Iron ; Mass Screening ; Mood Disorders ; Psychotropic Drugs ; Schizophrenia

Objective: In this study, we investigated the levels of arginine, nitric oxide (NO), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and adrenomedullin that are presumed to play a role in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) etiology, and to compare the findings with healthy controls. Methods: Thirty ADHD patients and thirty healthy control subjects aged 6−12 years were included in the study. Sociodemographic data form, Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version; Conners’ Parent/Teacher Rating Scale-Revised: Long Form; Children’s Depression Inventory; and The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children were applied to all cases. All participants included in the study were evaluated in terms of their serum arginine, NO, ADMA, and adrenomedullin levels. Subsequently, methylphenidate treatment was started in ADHD patients and blood parameters were tested again in the tenth week of treatment. Results: At the start of the study, arginine and ADMA levels were significantly higher and NO and adrenomedullin levels were significantly lower in the ADHD group compared to the control group. Post-treatment arginine and ADMA levels were found to be significantly lower than in the pre-treatment period. There were no significant differences in NO and adrenomedullin levels before and after treatment. There was no correlation between scale scores and blood parameters. Conclusion These variations in the blood parameters of the ADHD group seem to be worth further investigation. Studies to be conducted with larger sample groups after longer-term treatment may provide new information about the alterations in neurobiological processes related to ADHD etiology and treatment.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the levels of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and galanin in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: The study included 58 cases with ADHD and 60 healthy controls. Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) together with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th edition (DSM-5) criteria were used for diagnostic evaluation. Sociodemographic data form and Conners’ Parent/Teacher Rating Scale-Revised:Long Form were applied to all cases. The serum levels of BDNF, NGF, GDNF, and galanin were evaluated in all subjects. Afterwards, methylphenidate was started in the ADHD group. ADHD cases were reevaluated in terms of the serum levels of BDNF, NGF, GDNF, galanin at the 10th week of treatment. Results: Before the treatment, the levels of BDNF, NGF, GDNF, galanin were significantly higher in the ADHD group compared to the control group. The levels of BDNF, NGF, GDNF, galanin were found to be significantly lower after treatment in ADHD group compared to pre-treatment. No correlation was between scale scores and the serum levels of BDNF, NGF, GDNF, galanin. Conclusion The levels of neurotrophic factors and galanin were thought to be parameters worth evaluating in ADHD. Further studies on the subject with longer-term treatments and larger sample groups are required.