Fatty Acids, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium With Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Objectives: To evaluate the status of fatty acids, magnesium, zinc and selenium in Chinese children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). To find out the correlations between magnesium, zinc, selenium, behavior, intelligence and fatty acids.Methods: This study measured the content of plasma fatty acids and serum magnesium, zinc, selenium in 35 ADHD children and 25 control children. The two groups of children were assessed the condition of behavior and intelligence through Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and Combined Raven,s Test (CRT).Results:①There were significant differences of the levels about linoleic acid (18:2) and DHA (22:6) in the two groups of children except the fatty acids about 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, 20:2 and 20:4. Linoleic acid: ADHD group (31.35±3.43), control group (29.31±3.31), P=0.025; DHA: ADHD group (3.06±0.97), control group (3.75±1.30), P=0.022.②There were significant differences of the concentrations about magnesium and selenium in the two groups of children except zinc. Magnesium: ADHD group (0.84±0.05), control group (0.87±0.06), P=0.013; selenium: ADHD group (87.91±10.71), control group (97.12±7.63), P=0.001.③There were significant differences about social competence and behavior problems of CBCL in the two groups of children except activity status and somatic complaint. ADHD children had lower social competence and more behavior problems than control children.④There was significant difference about intelligence in the two groups of children. ADHD children had lower intelligence than control children.⑤Significant correlations were observed between magnesium, selenium, zinc, behavior, intelligence and fatty acids except 16:0, 20:4. Inverse correlations: 18:0 and somatic complaint; 18:1 and withdrawal; 18:2 and zinc, selenium, school status, total social competence; 22:6 and social interaction, attention, aggression, extroversion, total behavior problem. Consistent correlation: 18:2 and withdrawal, anxiety/depression, social interaction, attention, delinquency, aggression, introversion, extroversion, total behavior problem; 20:2 and selenium; 22:6 and school status, intelligence quotient (IQ).⑥Logistic regression model was established by the dependent variable of group and the covariates variables of magnesium, zinc, selenium, 16:0, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, 20:2, 20:4, 22:6. Finally variables in the equation were magnesium, selenium, 16:0 and 22:6.Conclusions:①ADHD children had the significant higher lever of plasma linoleic acid (18:2,ω-6) and the significant lower lever of plasma DHA (22:6,ω-3) versus controls.②ADHD children had the significant lower concentrations of serum magnesium and selenium versus controls.③Magnesium, selenium, 16:0, 22:6 influenced ADHD greater than zinc, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, 20:2, 20:4. The possibility of suffering from ADHD was decreased, when the content was increased about magnesium, selenium, as well as 16:0 and 22:6, which perhaps met a proper ratio in human body.④Plasma fatty acids had certain correlations with zinc, selenium, behavior and intelligence, especially linoleic acid (18:2,ω-6) and DHA (22:6,ω-3).