A prospective birth cohort study on maternal cholesterol levels and offspring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: New insight on sex differences

Yuelong Ji, Anne W. Riley, Li Ching Lee, Heather Volk, Xiumei Hong, Guoying Wang, Rayris Angomas, Tom Stivers, Anastacia Wahl, Hongkai Ji, Tami R. Bartell, Irina Burd, David Paige, Margaret D. Fallin, Barry Zuckerman, Xiaobin Wang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Growing evidence suggests that maternal cholesterol levels are important in the offspring’s brain growth and development. Previous studies on cholesterols and brain functions were mostly in adults. We sought to examine the prospective association between maternal cholesterol levels and the risk of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the offspring. We analyzed data from the Boston Birth Cohort, enrolled at birth and followed from birth up to age 15 years. The final analyses included 1479 mother-infant pairs: 303 children with ADHD, and 1176 neurotypical children without clinician-diagnosed neurodevelopmental disorders. The median age of the first diagnosis of ADHD was seven years. The multiple logistic regression results showed that a low maternal high-density lipoprotein level (≤60 mg/dL) was associated with an increased risk of ADHD, compared to a higher maternal high-density lipoprotein level, after adjusting for pertinent covariables. A “J” shaped relationship was observed between triglycerides and ADHD risk. The associations with ADHD for maternal high-density lipoprotein and triglycerides were more pronounced among boys. The findings based on this predominantly urban low-income minority birth cohort raise a new mechanistic perspective for understanding the origins of ADHD and the gender differences and future targets in the prevention of ADHD.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number3
JournalBrain Sciences
Volume8
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 2018

Keywords

  • ADHD
  • High-density lipoprotein
  • Sex difference
  • Triglyceride

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience

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