Comparison of Possible Changes in Oxidative Stress, DNA Damage, and Inflammatory Markers in Children/Adolescents Diagnosed with Sluggish Cognitive Tempo and Children/Adolescents Diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

Background: There has been a debate on whether sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) differs from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Although there have been many studies on metabolic parameters in relation to ADHD, no similar studies have been conducted on patients with SCT. We investigated whether there are differences between SCT and ADHD in terms of these factors. Subjects and Methods: Sixty-two participants with ages ranging from 11 to 18 who have diagnosis of ADHD (33 subjects) and SCT (29 subjects) were included in this study. The parents of all participants completed the 48-item Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS) and the Barkley Child Attention Scale (BCAS) forms, and all participants' blood was taken to compare metabolic, oxidative stress, and antioxidant status of the SCT and ADHD groups. A child and adolescent psychiatrist interviewed the parents and children to assess the diagnosis of SCT and ADHD using standard diagnostic procedures. Results: In the comparison between the SCT and ADHD groups in terms of metabolic parameters, statistically significant differences were found in terms of total oxidant status, total antioxidant status, Oxidative Stress Index, total thiol, native thiol, disulfide, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and DNA damage (p < 0.05), but not in terms of tumor necrosis factor-α (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Our data showed that these two disorders may be different, but we believe that the data that indicate their differences remain inconclusive overall, but this study may be a potential pathway for future research.

Oxidative and Inflammatory Parameters in Children and Adolescents With ADHD.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims that oxidative stress and inflammation status in children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared to their healthy peers. METHOD: Thirty ADHD and healthy controls were included in this study. ADHD diagnosis according to the DSM-V and Conners' teacher and parent rating scale by a structured psychiatric interview. Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), and total and native thiol levels were determined using photometric methods. Presepsin, Interleukin (IL) 1-ß, IL-6, and Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels were measured with commercial ELISA kits. RESULTS: We showed that TOS and oxidative stress index were significantly higher in the ADHD group, and TAS was lower than in the control group (p<.001). Similarly, IL1-ß, IL-6, and TNF-α levels were statistically higher in the ADHD group. Backward LR regression analysis reveals that TOS and IL-6 predicted ADHD. CONCLUSION: TOS and IL-6 levels may play a role in the pathogenesis of ADHD.

The role of adverse childhood experiences and attachment styles in social anxiety disorder in adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is one of the most common disorders of adolescence and results in marked impairments in social and academic/occupational activities that likely to persist into adulthood. Multiple etiological factors contribute to the development of social anxiety disorder. Two critical factors in presenting with a primary diagnosis of SAD might be adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and attachment styles. The current study examined how ACEs and attachment styles may be related to SAD in adolescents. METHODS: 60 participants with ages ranging from 11 to 18 (M = 14.6; female = 36), who have a primary diagnosis of SAD and 60 control group adolescents (M = 14.6; female = 30) were included in the study. Both groups completed the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), and the Adolescent Relationship Scales Questionnaire (A-RSQ). RESULTS: After controlling adolescent gender and parental education levels, childhood emotional neglect and income significantly predicted an increased risk for adolescents' SAD diagnosis. Attachment styles did not significantly contribute to predicting adolescents' SAD diagnosis after controlling childhood emotional neglect. CONCLUSION: The high predictive value of emotional neglect in childhood emphasizes its importance as a risk factor of SAD in adolescence.

Daily living skills in children with autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability: A comparative study from Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Better daily living skills (DLS) are associated with increased independence and positive functional outcomes in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). METHOD: The present study aimed to investigate daily living skills (DLS) and the associated factors in 51 children with ASD and intellectual disability (ASD group) and 51 age- and gender-matched controls with intellectual disability (ID group). The severity of the autistic symptoms was measured with the clinician-rated Childhood Autism Rating Scale and the parent-reported Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) in all children. The mothers also completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory and the Basic DLS Questionnaire. RESULTS: The ASD group scored lower than the comparison group in the total DLS score, personal hygiene, dressing, safety and interpersonal skills, despite being comparable in the parent-reported quality of life. Regression analysis of the whole sample demonstrated that the child's age, intellectual level, speech level, autism symptom severity and the monthly household income were independent correlates of the total DLS. Exploratory analyses for each group revealed differential effects of these variables: in the ASD group; a higher speech level and monthly income, while in the ID group; an older age, a higher intellectual level and monthly income and a lower ABC score emerged as significant predictors of higher DLS. CONCLUSIONS: Deficient DLS in Turkish children with ASD, given their IQ, suggest that lower level of adaptive skills is inherent in ASD, rather than culture-specific to US and Western Europe.