ADHD – Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder may be caused by Genetics and
Environmental Toxins
May 1st, 2006
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Researchers from the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
believe that Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is possibly
caused by both genetics and environment. The study will be first
presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting today, May 1st
in San Francisco.
“This study shows that certain groups of children have an increased
sensitivity to environmental exposures,” said the studies lead author,
Tanya Froehlich, M.D., a physician at Cincinnati Children’s. “More
studies like this one are needed to help set exposure standards that
adequately protect the most susceptible members of society.”
The researchers in this study looked how lead exposure could play a part
in ADHD. They also wanted to look at the genetics and the variation of
the DRD4 dopamine receptor gene. Previous research has found that the
DRD4 gene regulates brain dopamine levels which help for a child to have
attention and cognition. Changes in the DRD4 gene have been shown to
occur with ADHD.
Lead exposure has shown the children can be impaired on executive
function, planning, memory span and ability to change plans along the
way. In this study, the researchers see that some children are more
sensitive genetically to the exposure of lead.
“In addition, increasing lead exposure impaired performance in both
planning and attentional flexibility in boys more than in girls. This
suggests that, for these executive functions, boys are more vulnerable
to the adverse affects of lead exposure,” said Dr. Froehlich. “This is
also consistent with the established fact that boys have higher rates of
ADHD than girls.”
The researchers measured
172 children
for lead
exposure in the blood. They took blood samples during infancy and in
early childhood. When the children turned 5 year old, the researchers
gave a standardized test to measure for ADHD.
“This study offers a model for examining how genes and environmental
toxins interact to shape ADHD, and demonstrates that important effects
may be obscured or over-generalized if the joint contributions of these
factors are not considered,” said Dr. Froehlich. “Such studies can help
us understand the underlying causes of neuropsychological disorders, and
why certain groups may be more prone to ADHD than others.”
Nicole Wilson
Best Syndication
Books on ADHD at Amazon
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