Assessment of plasma and red blood cells fatty acid composition in boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental diseases in children. Fatty acids are important components of nerve cell myelin. Essential fatty acid deficiency leads to behavioral abnormalities similar to nervous disorders, such as ADHD. The purpose of this study was to determine the composition of fatty acids in plasma phospholipids and whole erythrocyte in the ADHD boys.
This is a case-control study in which 36 boys with ADHD and 37 boys without ADHD -aged 6-12 years- were participated. ADHD children were diagnosed with clinical diagnosis and psychiatric questionnaires by a psychiatrist. Then fatty acids of plasma phospholipids and whole erythrocyte were extracted.
The mean content of sum of saturated fatty acids (P=0.004) and arachidonic acid (P Fatty acid composition of plasma phospholipids and RBC in the ADHD children differed from that of the non-ADHD children.