Abstract
Objective: Both prenatal testosterone (T) exposure and postnatal T levels have been associated with developing neural circuitry and behavioral systems. This study examined the potential correlation between pre- and postnatal T levels and behavioral and neurocognitive profiles of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methods: Two hundred ADHD patients with a mean age of 8.7±2.0 years (158 boys and 42 girls) were recruited. The ratio of the length of the right index finger (2D) to that of the right ring finger (4D) (2D/4D ratio) served as a surrogate of prenatal T exposure, and postnatal T was determined using salivary T concentration. Behavioral symptoms were evaluated using the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham – Version IV Scale for ADHD (SNAP-IV). Neurocognitive function was assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) and Conners’ Continuous Performance Test (CPT). Results: Lower 2D/4D ratios were associated with comorbid disruptive behavior disorders (t=2.15, P=0.033) in all participants. Among the boys with ADHD, neither 2D/4D ratios nor salivary T levels were associated with behavioral symptoms or neurocognitive function. Among the girls with ADHD, the salivary T level was positively correlated with the Perceptual Reasoning Index of the WISC-IV (r=0.48, P=0.001) and the Confidence Index (r=0.37, P=0.017) and Omission Errors of the CPT (r=0.62, P,0.001). Conclusion: Findings suggest that a higher prenatal T exposure is associated with a greater risk of developing disruptive behavior disorders, and T may exert differential neurocognitive effects between boys and girls with ADHD. However, the neurobiological mechanisms of T involved in the pathogenesis of ADHD warrant further investigation.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1331-1339 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment |
Volume | 13 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 16 05 2017 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2017 Wang et al.
Keywords
- ADHD
- Cognition
- Comorbidity
- Endocrinology
- Psychopathology