Relationship between Impulsivity and Serum Oxytocin in Male Children and Adolescents with Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder: A Preliminary Study

• Published in: Noro-Psikiyatri Arsivi Vol. 53; no. 4; pp. 291 - 295
• Main Authors: Demirci, Esra, Özmen, Sevgi, Öztop, Didem Behice
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Turkey AVES 01-12-2016; Turkish Neuropsychiatric Society
• Subjects: Analysis; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Boys; Health aspects; Impulsivity; Oxytocin; Psychological aspects; Teenage boys; impulsivity; ADHD; oxytocin
• ISSN: 1300-0667; 1309-4866
• DOI: 10.5152/npa.2015.10284

Here we aimed to determine the relationship between oxytocin levels and impulsivity, which is an important aspect at Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) clinics.
The study population comprised 40 ADHD patients diagnosed based on the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime version, without other psychiatric disorders and chronic diseases aged between 8 and 15 years. The control group comprised 40 healthy, age-matched, male children and adolescents who voluntarily participated in the study. Patients and controls filled the Barratt impulsivity scale-11 (BIS-11). Ten cubic centimeters of blood was collected at 8 am for determining serum oxytocin levels. ELISA kits were used to measure serum oxytocin levels in a biochemistry laboratory. The obtained data were evaluated using appropriate statistical methods.
In this study, compared with the control group, the impulsivity scores were significantly higher and serum oxytocin levels were lower in the ADHD group (52.5±18.1 and 37.62±9.0, respectively, p<0.001). Serum oxytocin levels showed a negative correlation with impulsivity and attention subscale scores of BIS-11 in the ADHD group.
ADHD and impulsivity, which comprise an aspect of ADHD, may be associated with oxytocin. Serum oxytocin levels may contribute to inattention subtypes of impulsivity observed in ADHD.