Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Inflammation: What Does Current Knowledge Tell Us? A Systematic Review

Background Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex condition that interferes with development and/or functioning. Our objective is to investigate the potential association between ADHD and inflammation. Methods We conducted a systematic review of human studies measuring inflammatory markers in ADHD. The studies were identified by searching PUBMED, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PSYCHINFO, COCHRANE, and SCOPUS databases for peer-reviewed journals published until September 2016. We included cytokine gene expression and protein measured. Fourteen papers met the inclusion criteria. Results Seven studies evaluated the association of cytokine gene polymorphisms in ADHD, and six studies measured cytokines levels in blood. One study analyzed the presence of cytokines in cerebrospinal fluid in patients with ADHD. Altogether, these studies indicate a possible role of inflammation in ADHD pathogenesis, despite the significant heterogeneity and contradictory results. Conclusion Evidence points to the association of ADHD with inflammatory processes, but more studies are warranted.

• Publication year

  2017

• Venue

  Frontiers in Psychiatry

• Publication date

  2017-11-09

• Fields of study

  Medicine, Psychology

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00228PMID 29170646PMCID 5684106
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar, PubMed

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

• Anti-Yo Antibodies in Children With ADHD: First Results About Serum Cytokines

  2020influential reference
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

  2018influential reference
• Research Review: The role of obstetric and neonatal complications in childhood attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder – a systematic review

  2017cited by this paper
• Role of neuro-immunological factors in the pathophysiology of mood disorders

  2016cited by this paper
• Neonatal Infection and Later Neurodevelopmental Risk in the Very Preterm Infant.

  2016cited by this paper
• Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF): New facets of an old molecule for treating neurodegenerative and metabolic syndrome pathologies.

  2015cited by this paper
• Serum concentrations of kynurenines in adult patients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): a case–control study

  2015cited by this paper
• Angiogenic, neurotrophic, and inflammatory system SNPs moderate the association between birth weight and ADHD symptom severity

  2014influential reference
• Elevated blood levels of inflammation-related proteins are associated with an attention problem at age 24 mo in extremely preterm infants

  2014influential reference
• Practitioner Review: What have we learnt about the causes of ADHD?

  2013cited by this paper
• Effect of n-3 supplementation on hyperactivity, oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators in children with attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder.

  2012cited by this paper
• The genetics of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults, a review

  2011cited by this paper
• An exploration of the associations of pregnancy and perinatal features with cytokines and tryptophan/kynurenine metabolism in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

  2011influential reference
• Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

  2010cited by this paper
• ResearchAttention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) and glial integrity : S 100 B , cytokines and kynurenine metabolism-effects of medication

  2010influential reference
• Evidence for a cytokine model of cognitive function.

  2009cited by this paper
• Postural and gait performance in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

  2009cited by this paper
• Genome‐wide association scan of the time to onset of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

  2008cited by this paper
• Review: Genetics of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

  2008cited by this paper
• Association study of 10 genes encoding neurotrophic factors and their receptors in adult and child attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

  2008influential reference
• Peripheral Inflammation is Associated with Altered Substantia Nigra Activity and Psychomotor Slowing in Humans

  2008cited by this paper
• Clinical and molecular-genetic markers of ADHD in children.

  2008influential reference
• ADHD genetics: 2007 update

  2007cited by this paper
• Replication Test for Association of the IL-1 Receptor Antagonist Gene, IL1RN, with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

  2004influential reference
• Microglial functions and proteases

  2003cited by this paper
• Preferential transmission of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist alleles in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

  2002influential reference
• Toward guidelines for pedigree selection in genetic studies of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

  2000cited by this paper
• Cerebrospinal fluid cytokines in pediatric neuropsychiatric disease.

  1997influential reference
• Interleukin-2 decreases accumbal dopamine efflux and responding for rewarding lateral hypothalamic stimulation.

  1996cited by this paper
• Cytokine-specific central monoamine alterations induced by interleukin-1, -2 and -6.

  1994cited by this paper
• [Affective disorders in the fourth edition of the classification of mental disorders prepared by the American Psychiatric Association -- diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders].

  1993cited by this paper
• VU Research Portal Genome-wide association scan of quantitative traits for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder identifies novel associations and confirms candidate gene associations

  year unknowninfluential reference

• The lifespan continuum of brain disorders: investigating links between neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disease-chicken or egg?

  2026cites this paper
• Multinutrient Supplementation in Children With ADHD Reduced Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Immune Factors in the MADDY Randomized Controlled Trial.

  2026cites this paper
• Kynurenine metabolites unchanged after multinutrient supplementation in children with ADHD: a secondary data analysis from the MADDY study.

  2026cites this paper
• Gut-brain axis in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A narrative review of the links between gut microbiota and ADHD pathophysiology.

  2026cites this paper
• The immune system's role in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder development.

  2026cites this paper
• The causal relationships between limb fat distribution and mental disorders: A Mendelian randomization study

  2026cites this paper
• Research advances and future directions in female ADHD: the lifelong interplay of hormonal fluctuations with mood, cognition, and disease

  2025cites this paper
• Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and platelet to lymphocyte ratio in patients with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

  2025cites this paper
• Gut-immune-brain interactions during neurodevelopment: from a brain-centric to a multisystem perspective

  2025cites this paper
• Abscisic Acid Rescues Behavior in Adult Female Mice in Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity Model of Dopamine Depletion by Regulating Microglia and Increasing Vesicular GABA Transporter Expression

  2025cites this paper
• Exploring the Role of Turbinate Reduction in Alleviating Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Symptoms in Pediatric Patients

  2025cites this paper
• Exploring the shared genetic basis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and obstructive sleep apnea: A multi-omics analysis.

  2025cites this paper
• The Immune/Inflammatory Underpinnings of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome: A Scoping Review

  2025cites this paper
• The Role of Neuroglia in Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Disruptive Behavior: A Broad Review of Current Literature

  2025cites this paper
• Investigation of Nomophobia, Anxiety, and Depression Levels and Their Relationships in Children Diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

  2025cites this paper
• The Potential Future Role of Genetic Markers, Neurophysiological Insights, and AI Innovations in Personalized Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Management

  2025cites this paper
• Bipolar disorder and inflammation: a clinical study of NLR and dNLR across mood states and subtypes

  2025cites this paper
• Animal models of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Diversity and validity.

  2025cites this paper
• Sulforaphane Adjunct to Methylphenidate for Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial.

  2025cites this paper
• Synthesis, molecular structure characterization, and in vitro and in silico investigations of heterocyclic N-butylamide-substituted carboxamides

  2025cites this paper
• Exploring the Gut-Brain Axis: Microbiome Contributions to Pathophysiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Potential Therapeutic Strategies.

  2025cites this paper
• Associations of the gut microbiome and inflammatory markers with mental health symptoms: a cross-sectional study on Danish adolescents

  2025cites this paper
• Attention-related impairment and contributing neuroinflammatory signalling in the prefrontal cortex of perinatal nicotine-exposed mice

  2025cites this paper
• Gut dysbiosis as a driver of neuroinflammation in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A review of current evidence.

  2025cites this paper
• Targeting the gut microbiota-inflammation-brain axis as a potential therapeutic strategy for psychiatric disorders: A Mendelian randomization analysis.

  2025cites this paper
• Design and Synthesis of Novel 2, 5-Substituted Pyrido[4,3-d]Pyrimidines: In silico, Anti-diabetic and Anti-inflammatory Studies

  2025cites this paper
• Investigating the impact of omega-3 fatty acids on oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokine release in iPSC-derived forebrain cortical neurons from ADHD patients.

  2025cites this paper
• Peripheral Inflammation In Adult ADHD: Sex Differences And Hematological Markers.

  2025cites this paper
• Could Low Serum TWEAK Levels Serve as a Biomarker for Children and Adolescents Diagnosed with ADHD, Specifically the Predominantly Inattentive Subtype?

  2025cites this paper
• Predictive factors of comorbid attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in early systemic autoimmune and auto-inflammatory disorders

  2025cites this paper
• A narrative review of research advances in gut microbiota and microecological agents in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

  2025cites this paper
• The role of astrocytes in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: An update.

  2025cites this paper
• The Psychology of Atopic Dermatitis

  2024cites this paper
• Inflammatory and Biochemical Concepts in Children with Specific Learning Disorders: A Comparative Study

  2024cites this paper
• Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio in ADHD: A Systematic Scoping Review

  2024cites this paper
• Do specific myelin autoantibodies and increased cerebral dopamine neurotrophic factor in the context of inflammation predict the diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in medication-free children?

  2024cites this paper
• Urinary Histamine Not Associated with Severity of Symptoms of ADHD and Emotional Dysregulation: A Cross-sectional Secondary Data Analysis from the Micronutrients for ADHD in Youth (MADDY) Study

  2024cites this paper
• Pain-Associated Diagnoses in Childhood Before the Diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Population-Based Study

  2024cites this paper
• Complications of excess weight seen in two tier 3 paediatric weight management services: an observational study

  2024cites this paper
• Exploring the complex relationship between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the immune system: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis.

  2024cites this paper
• Mapping prenatal predictors and neurobehavioral outcomes of an epigenetic marker of neonatal inflammation – A longitudinal population-based study

  2024cites this paper
• Effects of Exercise Intervention on Physical and Mental Health of Children and Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Based on ICF-CY

  2024cites this paper
• Serum interleukin-6 level in unmedicated adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder – preliminary report

  2024cites this paper
• The relation between MIND diet with odds of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in Iranian children: a case-control study

  2024cites this paper
• Adenosinergic System and Nucleoside Transporters in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Current Findings.

  2024cites this paper
• Evaluating the link between immune characteristics and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder through a bi-directional Mendelian randomization study

  2024cites this paper
• Manganese in autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: The state of the art

  2024cites this paper
• Shared molecular mechanisms and transdiagnostic potential of neurodevelopmental disorders and immune disorders.

  2024cites this paper
• IL-1β disrupts the initiation of blood-brain barrier development by inhibiting endothelial Wnt/β-catenin signaling

  2024cites this paper
• The research landscape concerning environmental factors in neurodevelopmental disorders: Endocrine disrupters and pesticides-A review.

  2024cites this paper
• Complex interplay of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), fractures, and osteoporosis: a mendelian randomization study

  2024influential citation
• Motor, Cognitive, and Behavioral Impairment in TLR3 and TLR9 Deficient Male Mice: Insights into the Non-Immunological Roles of Toll-Like Receptors.

  2024cites this paper
• Neuronal deletion of Gtf2i results in developmental microglial alterations in a mouse model related to Williams syndrome

  2024cites this paper
• Iranian Traditional Medicine for Treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity in Children: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

  2024cites this paper
• Can an active lifestyle reduce the risk of obesity in adulthood among adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder symptoms? An ambispective cohort study.

  2024cites this paper
• Immunomodulatory options for neurodevelopmental spectrum conditions: are we there yet?

  2024cites this paper
• Inflammatory biotype of ADHD is linked to chronic stress: a data-driven analysis of the inflammatory proteome

  2024cites this paper
• Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: a Narrative Review of Biological Mechanisms, Treatments, and Outcomes

  2023cites this paper
• Epilepsy is more than a simple seizure disorder: Causal relationships between epilepsy and its comorbidities.

  2023cites this paper
• IL-1β disrupts blood-brain barrier development by inhibiting endothelial Wnt/β-catenin signaling

  2023cites this paper
• Socioeconomic disparities in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Sweden: An intersectional ecological niches analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (IEN-AIHDA)

  2023cites this paper
• Associations of Atopic Dermatitis with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

  2023cites this paper
• Inflammation and emotion regulation: a narrative review of evidence and mechanisms in emotion dysregulation disorders

  2023cites this paper
• The Interplay Between Blood Inflammatory Markers, Symptom Domains, and Severity of ADHD Disorder in Children

  2023cites this paper
• 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

  2023cites this paper
• Associations of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder with inflammatory diseases. Results from the nationwide German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS)

  2023cites this paper
• Synthesis, Characterization, Molecular Docking, and in Vitro Antidiabetic Activity Studies of New and Highly Selective Methoxy-Substituted Benzimidazole

  2023cites this paper
• Inflammation, Dopaminergic Brain and Bilirubin

  2023cites this paper
• Assessment of the natural killer cell, IFN- and IL-10 blood levels in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

  2023cites this paper
• In silico clinical trial evaluating lisdexamfetamine’s and methylphenidate’s mechanism of action computational models in an attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder virtual patients’ population

  2023cites this paper
• Evaluation of procalcitonin and C-reactive protein levels in children with autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

  2023cites this paper
• Neuroinflammation and its role in the pathogenesis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (literature review)

  2023cites this paper
• C-Reactive Protein (CRP): A Potent Inflammation Biomarker in Psychiatric Disorders.

  2023cites this paper
• Non-pharmacological interventions for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children and adolescents.

  2023cites this paper
• Effects of a Synbiotic on Plasma Immune Activity Markers and Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Children and Adults with ADHD—A Randomized Controlled Trial

  2023cites this paper
• Oxidative and Inflammatory Parameters in Children and Adolescents With ADHD

  2023cites this paper
• Investigation of the relationship between vitamin D and peripheral inflammatory parameters in children with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder

  2023cites this paper
• Recent insights into comorbidities in atopic dermatitis

  2023cites this paper
• Serum Occludin and Zonulin Levels in Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Healthy Controls

  2023cites this paper
• Effects of Hemogram Parameters on Remission Durations in Self-Limited Epilepsy with Centrotemporal Spikes

  2023cites this paper
• The Effect of Drug Use, Body Mass Index and Blood Pressure on Oxidative Stress Levels in Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder

  2023cites this paper
• Electroencephalography signals and neurodevelopment after Kawasaki disease: A pilot study

  2023influential citation
• An overview on neurobiology and therapeutics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

  2023cites this paper
• The role of inflammation in children with specific learning disorders

  2023cites this paper
• Effect of vitamin D supplementation on brain waves, behavioral performance, nitric oxide, malondialdehyde, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: study protocol for a randomized clinical trial

  2022cites this paper
• Increased Serum Level of CCL5 in Children with Attention‑Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder: First Results about Serum Chemokines

  2022cites this paper
• Utilizing Genomically Targeted Molecular Data to Improve Patient-Specific Outcomes in Autism Spectrum Disorder

  2022cites this paper
• Gut microbiota and plasma cytokine levels in patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

  2022cites this paper
• A New Perspective of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Associated With Delayed Language Development: An Egyptian Sample

  2022cites this paper
• A preliminary study: relationship between inattention/hyperactivity and familial mediterranean fever in children and adolescents

  2022cites this paper
• Probiotic supplement as an adjunctive therapy with Ritalin for treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder symptoms in children: a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial

  2022cites this paper
• Understanding the Role of the Gut Microbiome in Brain Development and Its Association With Neurodevelopmental Psychiatric Disorders

  2022cites this paper
• Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-Like Weak Inducer of Apoptosis (TWEAK) Levels Are Decreased in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

  2022influential citation
• Differential expression of an endogenous retroviral element [HERV-K(HML-6)] is associated with reduced survival in glioblastoma patients

  2022cites this paper
• Obesity and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

  2022cites this paper
• Promising Developments in the Use of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Research of ADHD.

  2022cites this paper
• Peripheral blood inflammatory markers in patients with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A systematic review and meta-analysis.

  2022cites this paper
• Association of corticosteroid use and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in asthmatic children varies by age

  2022cites this paper
• Enhanced Glial Reaction and Altered Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase are Implicated in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

  2022cites this paper
• Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis in Neurological Disorders: From Leaky Barriers Microanatomical Changes to Biochemical Processes.

  2022cites this paper