Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT610

Introduction: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in children, characterized by age-inappropriate inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which can cause extensive damage to children’s academic, occupational, and social skills. Although the exact cause of ADHD remains unidentified, most researchers contend that it is a result of a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. Environmental risk factors, which mostly include psychosocial variables, pregnancy, and perinatal risk factors, are directly linked to the development of ADHD. Some studies have investigated the association between vitamin D concentrations during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes, such as behavioral problems and social competence, in the offspring. It has been proposed that vitamin D deficiency could be a risk factor for developing ADHD.

Aim: To investigate the hypothesis, that presence of prenatal maternal stress and low level of D3 vitamin in pregnancy is associated with the development of the ADHD like symptoms in toddlers (< 2 years).

Materials and Methods: the study group is presented by 53 pregnant women and 53 infants of these pregnancies. A population cohort of 53 pregnant women was recruited at their 35 to 37th week of pregnancy and investigated prospectively. The participants were selected through targeted selection. Maternal experience of stressful life events was assessed by stress standardized questionnaires and maternal plasma D vitamin was measured using ECLIA method, during pregnancy. When offspring age was 6 month and then less than 2 years, mothers completed the child behavior and temperament checklist.

Results: Statistically significant relationship was identified between D3 vitamin deficit and stress level; between D3 vitamin deficit and impulsivity symptoms; between stress level and hyperactivity as well as impulsivity symptoms. But using multiple regression analysis showed that maternal stressful events during pregnancy significantly predicted ADHD behaviors in offspring and the level of D3 vitamin in this model was statistically insignificant.

Conclusion: The study don’t supported the hypothesis that low level of D3 vitamin during pregnancy increases the risk of development of ADHD like symptoms in toddlers, but provides some evidence to date linking developmental vitamin D deficiency and offspring ADHD, and, if its findings are replicated, could have serious public health implications in regards to vitamin D supplementation and lifestyle behaviors during pregnancy. Although, the obtained results support the hypothesis that the influence of prenatal maternal stress causes offspring ADHD like symptoms through a programming effect.