2. Birth circumstances as the cause of ADHD
Author: Ulrich Brennecke
Review: Dipl.-Psych. Waldemar Zdero
Extensive evidence shows that harmful influences during birth are a significant risk factor for the development of neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD that appear long after the causative event1
A premature birth increases the risk of ADHD the earlier the premature birth took place. A low birth weight also appears to increase the risk of ADHD, while a high birth weight reduces the risk.
Furthermore, oxygen deprivation at birth, low APGAR values after 1 minute, emergency caesarean sections, need for intensive medical care, neonatal jaundice, high serotonin metabolite levels in umbilical cord blood and postnatal antibiotic administration are associated with an increased risk of ADHD.
A long-term study found that of 318 children with birth problems, those who had developed ADHD as a child were only 21% ADHD at age 40, but had poorer educational attainment, more ADHD symptoms and executive problems. Those who had attention problems as a child but not full-blown ADHD had 6.6% ADHD at age 40; those who did not show attention problems as a child had 6% ADHD. Controls without birth problems had 1.6% ADHD at age 40.2
The % values indicate the possible ADHD risk increase due to the respective cause.
- 2.1. Premature birth
- 2.2. Low or high birth weight
- 2.3. Oxygen deficiency at birth
- 2.4. APGAR values below 7 after 1 minute
- 2.5. Caesarean section
- 2.6. Newborns requiring intensive care
- 2.7. Neonatal jaundice
- 2.8. Serotonin metabolites in umbilical cord blood
- 2.9. Antibiotics after the birth
- 2.10. Month of birth influences ADHD risk
- 2.11. Congenital heart defect (+ 200 %)
- 2.12. Characteristics without increased risk of ADHD
2.1. Premature birth
Premature delivery significantly increases the risk of ADHD, and the earlier the premature birth, the greater the risk.34 The effect of preterm birth on inattention (but not hyperactivity) ADHD appears to be mediated by reduced lung function and therefore oxygen deprivation5
Birth in week of pregnancy / increased risk of ADHD6
- 23. to 28th / 2.1-fold (plus 110 %)
- 29. to 32 / 1.6-fold (plus 60 %)
- 33. to 34th / 1.4-fold (plus 40 %)
- 35. to 36th / 1.3-fold (plus 30 %)
- 37. to 38th / 1.15-fold (plus 15 %).
A Scottish cohort study found7
24. to 27th / 5-fold (plus 400 %)
28. to 32nd / 2-fold (plus 100 %)
33. to 36th / 1.59-fold (plus 59 %)
37. / 1.31-fold (plus 31 %)
38. / 1.14-fold (plus 14 %
39. / 0.98-fold (minus 2 %)
40. / 0.89-fold (minus 11 %) (usual duration of pregnancy)
41. / 0.87-fold (minus 13 %)
42. / 0.89-fold (minus 11 %)
43. / unchanged
44. and higher / unchanged
A Swedish cohort study found that the duration of the treatment was 37 weeks or longer:8
22. to 27th / 2.79-fold
28. to 31 / 1.61-fold
32. to 36th / 1.18-fold
SGA / 1.62-fold (SGA: small for gestational age, birth weight below the 10th percentile)
Preclampsia was associated with ADHD
Placental abruption was not associated with ADHD
22. to 26 / 7.2-fold (21.9% vs. 2.6%) at the age of 11.9
Meta-analyses of 16 studies10 and 12 studies11 as well as further studies1213 14 confirm this, one study tends to confirm this.15
One individual study found no connection,16.
A cohort study found a 3-fold increase in the risk of ADHD for births at 28 weeks’ gestation or earlier.17 The increased risk of ADHD results from the duration of pregnancy itself, i.e. not from the typical premature birth risks such as oxygen deficiency, cerebral hemorrhage or intrauterine growth retardation. This is also shown by a comparison with non-preterm twin siblings.18 The earlier the birth, the higher the risk of ADHD at 4 years of age, regardless of birth weight.19
Girls appear to be at increased risk of ADHD due to premature birth.18
A study of premature babies born between 32 and 36 weeks found elevated scores in at least one of the ADHD symptom areas in 65% of 7- to 10-year-olds.20 Another small study relating to births in the 32nd to 36th week found no correlation.21
One study found that the risk of ADHD was higher in spontaneous preterm births than in external medically induced preterm births. In addition, the risk of ADHD caused by a premature birth increased further when chorioamnionitis was added (ADHD risk increased by 175%):22 A Finnish registry study found an increased risk of ADHD in spontaneous preterm births.23 Another study found that both spontaneous and medically indicated premature births increased the risk of ADHD.24
It is assumed that premature birth causes the supply of important substances to end too early, which impairs brain development. Repeated hypoxic-ischemic events are particularly common in premature infants, which could explain the high incidence of ADHD.25 It is hypothesized that an additional supply of allopregnanolone could be helpful, in addition to the already established administration of corticosteroids (once) and magnesium sulphate.2627 However, the fact that only spontaneous premature births, but not medically induced premature births, increase the risk of ADHD speaks against this - at least with regard to ADHD.
The connection between premature birth and inattention problems seems to be reinforced by lung problems.28 We suspect a connection with hypoxia.
The psychological risks to the child in the event of a premature birth appear to result more from the premature birth itself, namely29
- IQ
- Preparation vigilance
- Error processing
and partly caused more by social or other family circumstances, namely
- Inhibition
- Verbal working memory
The usual number is 40 weeks of pregnancy.
Transferred children who were born after the due date do not have an increased risk of ADHD.
In the case of extremely premature birth, obesity and diabetes in the mother additionally increased the risk of ADHD by 55 to 65% each30
Extremely preterm infants showed impairments in attentional guidance as preschoolers, but not in alerting efficiency or executive aspects of attention.31 Extreme prematurity appears to be associated with inattention rather than hyperactivity,1832 as well as anxiety and social difficulties.32
If, in addition to the premature birth, the mother also had an autoimmune disease, which alone also seems to increase the risk of ADHD, these risks did not add up.33
2.2. Low or high birth weight
Low birth weight is likely to increase the risk of ADHD.343536 Two other studies did not confirm this result.3738
A Scottish cohort study found an influence of birth weight on the risk of ADHD (determined on a gender-specific basis according to centiles)7
1 to 3: 134.1% (the 3% with the lowest birth weight had a 34% increased risk of ADHD)
4 to 10: 117.8 %
11 to 20: 109.2 %
21 to 80: 95.7 %
81 to 90: 86 %
91 to 97: 92.6 %
98 to 100: 95.5 % (the 3 % with the highest birth weight had a 4.5 % reduced risk of ADHD)
Studies found the risk of ADHD in
- extremely low birth weight (< 1,000 g) of 13.8 %39
- very low birth weight (< 1,500 g) increased by 51 %40
- low birth weight (1,500-2,500 g) increased by 32 %40 to approx. 125 % (OR = 2.25)39
- normal birth weight (from 2,500 g) unchanged40
One study found a 77% increased risk of ADHD with a birth weight over 4000 grams.41
2.3. Oxygen deficiency at birth
Lack of oxygen at birth increases the risk of ADHD.42
An oxygen supply for the newborn during birth (which became necessary due to a lack of oxygen) correlates with an almost tripled risk of ADHD.38
Hypoxia-ischemic conditions around birth (e.g. asphyxia) cause an inadequate supply of oxygen to the brain. This can lead to cognitive impairment. Their occurrence is influenced by dopamine transporter gene polymorphisms.43 Oxygen deprivation during birth can cause long-term changes in the dopamine system, where dopamine is important for brain development.4445 Oxygen deprivation at birth correlated with unoccupied (an excess of) D2/D3 dopamine receptors in a very small number of subjects.46
Disorders of the dopamine system can trigger brain development disorders such as those associated with ADHD.
One study found evidence that attention problems following oxygen deprivation during birth are moderated by gene variants of the dopamine transporter in the PFC.47
Conclusively, one study describes a reduction of ischemic Consequences by methylphenidate via activation of the AMPK signaling pathway.48 As AMPK influences the dopamine balance, this could indicate that a dopamine deficiency increases the damage caused by ischemic conditions.
It is known that hypoxia (lack of oxygen) leads to an excess of adenosine. Adenosine is closely linked to the dopaminergic system. Adenosine antagonists are able to prevent and correct hypoxia damage. More on this under Adenosine In the chapter Neurological aspects.
Prenatal hypoxia caused massive changes in the dopaminergic system in mice:49
- a reduction in dopaminergic progenitor cells
- delayed early lateral migration of DA neurons
- delayed expression of the receptors that control this process
- reduced expression of tyrosine hydroxylase in the postnatal striatum
- an increased density of dopamine release sites with high probability within the TH varicosities.
Birth complications such as oxygen deprivation at birth, maternal infections during pregnancy and maternal stress during pregnancy also increase the risk of other disorders such as schizophrenia.50
2.4. APGAR values below 7 after 1 minute
The lower the APGAR values, the higher the risk of ADHD:
- Under 5 after 1 minute: 7-fold ADHD risk38 (The authors incorrectly calculate 9% in controls instead of 0.9% in the text)
- Between 5 and 7 after 1 minute: more than tripled risk of ADHD38
- Under 7 after 1 minute: significantly increased risk of ADHD37
- From 8 after 1 minute no increased risk of ADHD38
A Scottish cohort study found an impact of the 5-minute APGAR score on ADHD risk7
1 to 3: 9 times the risk of ADHD
4 to 6: 1.5 times the risk of ADHD
7 to 10: 0.99 times the risk of ADHD
A meta-analysis found a significantly increased risk of ADHD in under 7s after 5 minutes (OR = 1.3 = approx. + 30 %).39
One study found no increase in ADHD risk with an APGAR score after 5 and 10 min37
2.5. Caesarean section
A comprehensive meta-analysis of over 20 million births found that a caesarean section increased the risk of ADHD by 17%.51 The risk of autism spectrum disorder was increased by 33%.
Other sources, however, cite a risk increase of 6%52 or 3 to 9%53 or 5 to 15%.54 One small study found no increased risk of ADHD due to caesarean section.38
Several studies showed that only an emergency caesarean section resulted in a statistically significant increase in the risk of ADHD,54 or that children with ADHD were 5% more likely to have an emergency caesarean birth and 12% less likely to have a planned caesarean birth7
Another study confirmed that only a caesarean section at birth (intrapartum) increased the risk of ADHD.53
A meta-analysis found that a caesarean section increased the risk of ASD in girls by 66% and in boys by 17%.55 The risk of ADHD was also increased.
2.6. Newborns requiring intensive care
Newborns who required intensive medical care showed a 60% increased risk of ADHD between the ages of 4 and 11.56
Newborns who had to be treated in an incubator had a 4.5-fold risk of ADHD.38
2.7. Neonatal jaundice
Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes caused by excess bilirubin. Bilirubin is a yellow breakdown product in the blood.
Newborns with jaundice show an increased risk of ADHD and ASD. The risk of ADHD was increased by 14 to 31%57 and 33% respectively. If the jaundice required treatment, the risk of ADHD was 2.5 times higher than in those not affected. The risk of ADHD was particularly increased if the jaundice was so severe that the newborn’s entire blood had to be replaced.38
In a small Lebanese correlational study (n = 119), neonatal jaundice increased the risk of ADHD 3.3-fold (OR = 3.268).58
Neonatal jaundice is associated with reduced urinary homovanillic acid in the first few days, indicating reduced dopamine turnover.59
(Neonatal) hyperbilirubinemia, excess (neonatal) bilirubin is associated with ADHD, severe excess bilirubin is associated with ASA.60
Hyperbilirubinemia in early childhood can cause a similar impairment of the frontostriatal network and similar symptoms as ADHD.6162 A registry study of n = 157,366 children found no correlation.63
Bilirubin dose-dependently inhibited the uptake of tyrosine (a precursor of dopamine) in the striatum in vitro.64 Bilirubin inhibits cAMP-stimulated dopamine synthesis65 and reduces the vesicular storage of dopamine and glutamate66.
Bilirubin (20-80 microM) did not directly affect dopamine release from striatal synaptosomes. It inhibited the initial rate of synaptosomal dopamine uptake and dopamine levels in the synaptosome after 10 minutes. Bilirubin appears to primarily inhibit neurotransmitter reuptake and the response to depolarizing stimuli.67
2.8. Serotonin metabolites in umbilical cord blood
Elevated umbilical cord blood levels of serotonin metabolites correlated with an increased risk of ADHD later in life:68
- Tryptophan: 25 %
- 5-HTP: 32 %
- N-acetyltryptophan: 27 %
The risk of ASD or other mental disorders remained unchanged.
Elevated umbilical cord blood levels of the serotonin metabolite
- 5-Methoxytryptophol
correlated with a 21% reduced risk of ADHD and a 44% reduced risk of ASD)
2.9. Antibiotics after the birth
A meta-analysis found a 12% increased risk of ADHD due to postnatal antibiotic administration.69
2.10. Month of birth influences ADHD risk
Several studies found consistent data on how the month of birth affects the risk of ADHD and other mental disorders.70 This follows a general pattern of neurological disorders having the lowest risk with a spring birth, while cardiovascular disorders have the highest risk with a spring birth. Relevant factors could be vitamin D3 production during pregnancy and in the first months of life or, as most studies suggest, the relative age at school entry (in relation to the other children in the class).71727374
A Taiwanese study found a clear correlation with age at school enrollment.75
Interestingly, the asthma risk depending on the month of birth has an opposite pattern, although ADHD and asthma often occur comorbidly.76
2.11. Congenital heart defect (+ 200 %)
Congenital heart disease is a general term for a number of birth defects that affect the normal functioning of the heart.
A meta-analysis found a significantly increased risk of ADHD in congenital heart defects (OR = 3.04, approx. + 200 %).39
A meta-analysis of k = 8 studies with n = 120,158 people with ADHD found a statistically significant increase in patients with a congenital heart defect (prevalence: 1 %):77
- ADHD Index T-Score (SMD: 0.65)
- ADHD combination score (SMD = 0.23)
- Inattention (SMD = 0.25)
- Hyperactivity-impulsivity (SMD = 0.16)
2.12. Characteristics without increased risk of ADHD
The following factors do not appear to have any influence on the risk of ADHD:
- Number of pregnancies of the mother37
- Educational level of the mother37
- However, a lower level of education of the mother is said to correlate with an increased screen consumption of the children, which in turn correlates with behavioral problems.78
- Size of the mother37
- Blood values of the umbilical artery37
- Elevated CRP values (C-reactive protein) during pregnancy79
- Artificial insemination,80 whereby these mothers had a slightly higher level of education than those in the comparison group.
- Single/multiple birth38
- Date of delivery38
- Position of the child during delivery38
- Changes in the amniotic fluid38
- Problems with the placenta38
- Bleeding during childbirth38
- Umbilical cord wrapped around the baby’s neck38
- Epidural analgesia during childbirth
- Of 4,498,462 people (48.7 % female), 1,091,846 (24.3 %) were exposed to epidural analgesia during childbirth. Of these, 1.2% had ASD and 4.0% had ADHD. At the population level, epidural analgesia at birth showed an increased risk in offspring for ASD (1.20% vs. 1.07%) and ADHD (3.95% vs. 3.32%). However, when comparing full siblings exposed to epidural analgesia at birth in different ways, the associations were completely attenuated for both conditions (ASD: risk reduced by 2%; ADHD: risk reduced by 1%).81
- Induction of labor
Shaw, Crombie, Zakar, Palliser, Hirst (2019): Perinatal compromise contributes to programming of GABAergic and glutamatergic systems leading to long-term effects on offspring behaviour. J Neuroendocrinol. 2019 Nov 23:e12814. doi: 10.1111/jne.12814. ↥
Schiavone, Virta, Leppämäki, Launes, Vanninen, Tuulio-Henriksson, Immonen, Järvinen, Lehto, Michelsson, Hokkanen (2019): ADHD and subthreshold symptoms in childhood and life outcomes at 40 years in a prospective birth-risk cohort. Psychiatry Res. 2019 Sep 25;281:112574. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2019.112574. ↥
Fraiman YS, Guyol G, Acevedo-Garcia D, Beck AF, Burris H, Coker TR, Tiemeier H (2023): A Narrative Review of the Association between Prematurity and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Accompanying Inequities across the Life-Course. Children (Basel). 2023 Sep 30;10(10):1637. doi: 10.3390/children10101637. PMID: 37892300; PMCID: PMC10605109. REVIEW ↥
Allotey J, Zamora J, Cheong-See F, Kalidindi M, Arroyo-Manzano D, Asztalos E, van der Post J, Mol BW, Moore D, Birtles D, Khan KS, Thangaratinam S (2018): Cognitive, motor, behavioural and academic performances of children born preterm: a meta-analysis and systematic review involving 64 061 children. BJOG. 2018 Jan;125(1):16-25. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.14832. PMID: 29024294. METASTUDY ↥
Litt JS, Johnson S, Marlow N, Tiemeier H (2023): Impaired pulmonary function mediates inattention in young adults born extremely preterm. Acta Paediatr. 2023 Feb;112(2):254-260. doi: 10.1111/apa.16586. PMID: 36330674. ↥
Lindström, Lindblad, Hjern (2011): Preterm birth and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in schoolchildren. Pediatrics. 2011 May;127(5):858-65. n = 1.180.616 ↥
Fleming M, Fitton CA, Steiner MFC, McLay JS, Clark D, King A, Mackay DF, Pell JP (2017): Educational and Health Outcomes of Children Treated for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. JAMA Pediatr. 2017 Jul 3;171(7):e170691. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.0691. PMID: 28459927; PMCID: PMC6583483. n = 766.244 ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥
Beer RJ, Cnattingius S, Susser ES, Villamor E (2022): Associations of preterm birth, small-for-gestational age, preeclampsia and placental abruption with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the offspring: Nationwide cohort and sibling-controlled studies. Acta Paediatr. 2022 Aug;111(8):1546-1555. doi: 10.1111/apa.16375. Epub 2022 May 3. PMID: 35485179; PMCID: PMC9544732. n = 1.212.201 ↥
Larsen J, Holland J, Kochhar P, Wolke D, Draper ES, Marlow N, Johnson S (2006): Comparing the Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Cohorts of Children Born Extremely Preterm in 1995 and 2006: The EPICure Studies. JAACAP Open. 2024 Sep;2(3):217-228. doi: 10.1016/j.jaacop.2024.02.005. PMID: 39239392; PMCID: PMC11372438. ↥
Kelly, Griffith (2019): The Influence of preterm birth beyond infancy: Umbrella review of outcomes of adolescents and adults born preterm. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract. 2019 Oct 18. doi: 10.1097/JXX.0000000000000248. REVIEW ↥
Franz, Bolat, Bolat, Matijasevich, Santos, Silveira, Procianoy, Rohde, Moreira-Maia (2018): Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Very Preterm/Very Low Birth Weight: A Meta-analysis. Pediatrics. 2018 Jan;141(1). pii: e20171645. doi: 10.1542/peds.2017-1645. n = 1787 ↥
Srinivas Jois (2019): Neurodevelopmental outcome of late-preterm infants: A pragmatic review. Aust J Gen Pract. 2018 Nov;47(11):776-781. ↥
Soncini, Belotto, Diaz (2019): Association Between Prematurity and Diagnosis of Neurodevelopment Disorder: A Case-Control Study. J Autism Dev Disord. 2019 Sep 24. doi: 10.1007/s10803-019-04235-2. REVIEW ↥
Hee Chung, Chou, Brown (2020): Neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants: a recent literature review. Transl Pediatr. 2020 Feb;9(Suppl 1):S3-S8. doi: 10.21037/tp.2019.09.10. PMID: 32206579; PMCID: PMC7082240. REVIEW ↥
Montagna, Karolis, Batalle, Counsell, Rutherford, Arulkumaran, Happe, Edwards, Nosarti (2020): ADHD symptoms and their neurodevelopmental correlates in children born very preterm. PLoS One. 2020 Mar 3;15(3):e0224343. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224343. PMID: 32126073; PMCID: PMC7053718. n = 119 ↥
Schwenke, Fasching, Faschingbauer, Pretscher, Kehl, Peretz, Keller, Häberle, Eichler, Irlbauer-Müller, Dammer, Beckmann, Schneider (2018): Predicting attention deficit hyperactivity disorder using pregnancy and birth characteristics. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2018 Sep 8. doi: 10.1007/s00404-018-4888-0. n = 573 ↥
Perapoch, Vidal, Gómez-Lumbreras, Hermosilla, Riera, Cortés, Céspedes, Ramos-Quiroga, Morros (2019): Prematurity and ADHD in Childhood: An Observational Register-Based Study in Catalonia. J Atten Disord. 2019 Aug 14:1087054719864631. doi: 10.1177/1087054719864631. ↥
Ask H, Gustavson K, Ystrom E, Havdahl KA, Tesli M, Askeland RB, Reichborn-Kjennerud T (2018): Association of Gestational Age at Birth With Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children. JAMA Pediatr. 2018 Aug 1;172(8):749-756. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2018.1315. PMID: 29946656; PMCID: PMC6142916. ↥ ↥ ↥
Galbally M, Watson SJ, Newnham J, White S, Watkins A, Lewis AJ (2024): The Relationship Between Early Term Birth and the Risk of Later Childhood Mental Disorders Within a Pregnancy Cohort. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2024 Jan 2. doi: 10.1007/s10578-023-01643-5. PMID: 38165581. ↥
Jin, Yoon, Song, Kim, Chung (2020): Long-term Cognitive, Executive and Behavioral Outcomes of Moderate and Late Preterm at School Age. Clin Exp Pediatr. 2020 Feb 6:10.3345/kjp.2019.00647. doi: 10.3345/kjp.2019.00647. PMID: 32024339. n = 37 ↥
Alonso-Lopez P, Arroyas M, Beato M, Ruiz-Gonzalez S, Olabarrieta I, Garcia-Garcia ML (2024): Respiratory, cardio-metabolic and neurodevelopmental long-term outcomes of moderate to late preterm birth: not just a near term-population. A follow-up study. Front Med (Lausanne). 2024 Aug 20;11:1381118. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1381118. PMID: 39228801; PMCID: PMC11368750. n = 150 ↥
Raghavan, Helfrich, Cerda, Ji, Burd, Wang, Hong, Fu, Pearson, Fallin, Zuckerman, Wang (2019): Preterm birth subtypes, placental pathology findings, and risk of neurodevelopmental disabilities during childhood. Placenta. 2019 Aug;83:17-25. doi: 10.1016/j.placenta.2019.06.374. ↥
Kong L, Nivins S, Chen X, Liang Y, Gissler M, Lavebratt C (2024): Association of preterm birth and birth size status with neurodevelopmental and psychiatric disorders in spontaneous births. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2024 Jun 12. doi: 10.1007/s00787-024-02489-5. PMID: 38866929. n = 819.764 ↥
Beer RJ, Cnattingius S, Susser ES, Villamor E (2022): Associations of preterm birth, small-for-gestational age, preeclampsia and placental abruption with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the offspring: Nationwide cohort and sibling-controlled studies. Acta Paediatr. 2022 Aug;111(8):1546-1555. doi: 10.1111/apa.16375. PMID: 35485179; PMCID: PMC9544732. n = 1.212.201 ↥
Lou HC (1996): Etiology and pathogenesis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): significance of prematurity and perinatal hypoxic-haemodynamic encephalopathy. Acta Paediatr. 1996 Nov;85(11):1266-71. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1996.tb13909.x. PMID: 8955450. REVIEW ↥
Shaw, Berry, Dyson, Crombie, Hirst, Palliser (2019): Reduced Neurosteroid Exposure Following Preterm Birth and Its’ Contribution to Neurological Impairment: A Novel Avenue for Preventative Therapies. Front Physiol. 2019 May 15;10:599. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00599. eCollection 2019. ↥
Interventionen während Schwangerschaft und Geburt zur Vorbeugung von Zerebralparese: Eine Übersicht über systematische Reviews von Cochrane, 2017 REVIEW ↥
Litt JS, Johnson S, Marlow N, Tiemeier H (2022): Impaired pulmonary function mediates inattention in young adults born extremely preterm. Acta Paediatr. 2023 Feb;112(2):254-260. doi: 10.1111/apa.16586. PMID: 36330674. ↥
James, Rommel, Rijsdijk, Michelini, McLoughlin, Brandeis, Banaschewski, Asherson, Kuntsi (2019): Is association of preterm birth with cognitive-neurophysiological impairments and ADHD symptoms consistent with a causal inference or due to familial confounds? Psychol Med. 2019 Jun 3:1-7. doi: 10.1017/S0033291719001211. ↥
Cochran DM, Jensen ET, Frazier JA, Jalnapurkar I, Kim S, Roell KR, Joseph RM, Hooper SR, Santos HP Jr, Kuban KCK, Fry RC, O’Shea TM (2022): Association of prenatal modifiable risk factors with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder outcomes at age 10 and 15 in an extremely low gestational age cohort. Front Hum Neurosci. 2022 Oct 20;16:911098. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2022.911098. PMID: 36337853; PMCID: PMC9630552. ↥
Walczak-Kozłowska, Mańkowska, Chrzan-Dętkoś, Harciarek (2019): Attentional system of very prematurely born preschoolers. Dev Psychol. 2019 Nov 25. doi: 10.1037/dev0000865. ↥
Johnson S, Marlow N (2011): Preterm birth and childhood psychiatric disorders. Pediatr Res. 2011 May;69(5 Pt 2):11R-8R. doi: 10.1203/PDR.0b013e318212faa0. PMID: 21289534. ↥ ↥
Ellul P, Wallez S, Acquaviva E, Rosenzwajg M, Klatzmann D, Delorme R, Melchior M (2023): Children with a history of both maternal immune activation and prematurity are not at increased risk of ADHD symptoms. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2023 Aug 3. doi: 10.1007/s00787-023-02276-8. PMID: 37535256. ↥
http://www.tanjakassuba.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/BIOPSY Disorders HPA_SS2007.pdf, Seite 33 ↥
Rangan, Banting, Favotto, Schmidt, Saigal, Van Lieshout (2019):: Maternal mental health and internalizing and externalizing psychopathology in extremely low birth weight adults. J Dev Orig Health Dis. 2019 Nov 22:1-8. doi: 10.1017/S2040174419000771. ↥
Zavadenko, Davydova. Nevrologicheskie narusheniia i rasstroĭstva psikhicheskogo razvitiia u deteĭ, rozhdennykh nedonoshennymi (s ékstremal’no nizkoĭ, ochen’ nizkoĭ i nizkoĭ massoĭ tela) [Neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders in preterm-born children (with extremely low, very low or low body weight)]. Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2019;119(12):12-19. Russian. doi: 10.17116/jnevro201911912112. PMID: 31994509. ↥
Schwenke, Fasching, Faschingbauer, Pretscher, Kehl, Peretz, Keller, Häberle, Eichler, Irlbauer-Müller, Dammer, Beckmann, Schneider (2018): Predicting attention deficit hyperactivity disorder using pregnancy and birth characteristics. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2018 Sep 8. doi: 10.1007/s00404-018-4888-0. ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥
Lipińska, Słopień, Pytlińska, Słopień, Wolańczyk, Bryńska (2021): The role of factors associated with the course of pregnancy and childbirth in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Psychiatr Pol. 2021 Jun 30;55(3):659-673. English, Polish. doi: 10.12740/PP/OnlineFirst/110686. PMID: 34460889. n = 311 ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥
Jenabi E, Ayubi E, Farashi S, Bashirian S, Mehri F (2023): The neonatal risk factors associated with attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder: an umbrella review. Clin Exp Pediatr. 2023 Jul 14. doi: 10.3345/cep.2022.01396. PMID: 37448127. METASTUDY ↥ ↥ ↥ ↥
Ni M, Li L, Li W, Zhang Q, Zhao J, Shen Q, Yao D, Wang T, Li B, Ding X, Qi S, Huang X, Liu Z (2023): Examining the relationship between birth weight and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis. Front Psychiatry. 2023 May 24;14:1074783. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1074783. PMID: 37293403; PMCID: PMC10244743. N = 60.358 ↥ ↥ ↥
Van Lieshout, Savoy, Ferro, Krzeczkowski, Colman (2019): Macrosomia and psychiatric risk in adolescence. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2020 Jan 1. doi: 10.1007/s00787-019-01466-7. n = 1.817 ↥
Banaschewski, Ursachen von ADHS, Neurologen und Psychiater im Netz ↥
Miguel, Pereira, Barth, de Mendonça Filho, Pokhvisneva, Nguyen, Garg, Razzolini, Koh, Gallant, Sassi, Hall, O’Donnell, Meaney, Silveira (2019): Prefrontal Cortex Dopamine Transporter Gene Network Moderates the Effect of Perinatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Conditions on Cognitive Flexibility and Brain Gray Matter Density in Children. Biol Psychiatry. 2019 Apr 3. pii: S0006-3223(19)31154-0. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.03.983. ↥
Giannopoulou, Pagida, Briana, Panayotacopoulou (2018): Perinatal hypoxia as a risk factor for psychopathology later in life: the role of dopamine and neurotrophins. Hormones (Athens). 2018 Mar;17(1):25-32. doi: 10.1007/s42000-018-0007-7. PMID: 29858855. REVIEW ↥
Decker, Rye (2002): Neonatal intermittent hypoxia impairs dopamine signaling and executive functioning. Sleep Breath. 2002 Dec;6(4):205-10. doi: 10.1007/s11325-002-0205-y. PMID: 12524574. REVIEW ↥
Lou, Rosa, Pryds, Karrebaek, Lunding, Cumming, Gjedde (2004): ADHD: increased dopamine receptor availability linked to attention deficit and low neonatal cerebral blood flow. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2004 Mar;46(3):179-83. doi: 10.1017/s0012162204000313. PMID: 14995087. n = 6 ↥
Miguel, Pereira, Barth, de Mendonça Filho, Pokhvisneva, Nguyen, Garg, Razzolini, Koh, Gallant, Sassi, Hall, O’Donnell, Meaney, Silveira (2019): Prefrontal Cortex Dopamine Transporter Gene Network Moderates the Effect of Perinatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Conditions on Cognitive Flexibility and Brain Gray Matter Density in Children. Biol Psychiatry. 2019 Oct 15;86(8):621-630. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2019.03.983. PMID: 31142432. n = 431 ↥
Li, Huang, Yang, Huang (2021): Methylphenidate exerts neuroprotective effects through the AMPK signaling pathway. Hum Exp Toxicol. 2021 Sep;40(9):1422-1433. doi: 10.1177/0960327121996021. PMID: 33660552. ↥
Brandon, Cui, Luan, Ali, Pertile, Alexander, Eyles (2022): Prenatal hypoxia alters the early ontogeny of dopamine neurons. Transl Psychiatry. 2022 Jun 7;12(1):238. doi: 10.1038/s41398-022-02005-w. PMID: 35672280; PMCID: PMC9174174. ↥
Mittal VA, Ellman LM, Cannon TD (2008): Gene-environment interaction and covariation in schizophrenia: the role of obstetric complications. Schizophr Bull. 2008 Nov;34(6):1083-94. doi: 10.1093/schbul/sbn080. PMID: 18635675; PMCID: PMC2632505. REVIEW ↥
Zhang, Sidorchuk, Sevilla-Cermeño, Vilaplana-Pérez, Chang, Larsson, Mataix-Cols, Fernández de la Cruz (2019): Association of Cesarean Delivery With Risk of Neurodevelopmental and Psychiatric Disorders in the Offspring: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2019 Aug 2;2(8):e1910236. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.10236. n = 20.607.935 Geburten, REVIEW ↥
Xu, Zhang, Zhou, Jiang, Jiang, Zhou (2019): Meta-analysis found that studies may have overestimated Caesarean section risks for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder by ignoring confounding factors. Acta Paediatr. 2019 Aug 31. doi: 10.1111/apa.14994. n = 2.500.000 Geburten ↥
Axelsson, Clausen, Petersen, Hageman, Pinborg, Kessing, Bergholt, Rasmussen, Keiding, Løkkegaard (2018): Investigating the effects of cesarean delivery and antibiotic use in early childhood on risk of later attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2018 Aug 23. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12961. n = 671.592 Geburten ↥ ↥
Curran, Khashan, Dalman, Kenny, Cryan, Dinan, Kearney (2016): Obstetric mode of delivery and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a sibling-matched study. Int J Epidemiol. 2016 Apr;45(2):532-42. doi: 10.1093/ije/dyw001. n = 1.722.548 Geburten ↥ ↥
Chen M, Lin Y, Yu C, Fu R, Shentu H, Yao J, Huang J, He Y, Yu M. Effect of cesarean section on the risk of autism spectrum disorders/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in offspring: a meta-analysis. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2023 May 23. doi: 10.1007/s00404-023-07059-9. PMID: 37219611. ↥
Chiorean, Savoy, Beattie, El Helou, Silmi, Van Lieshout (2020): Childhood and adolescent mental health of NICU graduates: an observational study. Arch Dis Child. 2020 Jan 23;archdischild-2019-318284. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2019-318284. PMID: 31974300. ↥
Chou HC, Lin HC, Huang KH, Chang YC (2023): Associations between neonatal jaundice and autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: Nationwide population based cohort study. J Formos Med Assoc. 2023 May 22:S0929-6646(23)00179-1. doi: 10.1016/j.jfma.2023.05.010. PMID: 37225632. ↥
Assaf M, Rouphael M, Bou Sader Nehme S, Soufia M, Alameddine A, Hallit S, Landry M, Bitar T, Hleihel W (2024): Correlational Insights into Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Lebanon. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024 Aug 5;21(8):1027. doi: 10.3390/ijerph21081027. PMID: 39200638; PMCID: PMC11353674. ↥
Karoum, Ruthven, Sandler (1975); Urinary phenolic acid and alcohol excretion in the newborn. Arch Dis Child. 1975 Aug;50(8):586-94. doi: 10.1136/adc.50.8.586. PMID: 1200675; PMCID: PMC1545531. ↥
Jayanti S, Dalla Verde C, Tiribelli C, Gazzin S (2023): Inflammation, Dopaminergic Brain and Bilirubin. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jul 14;24(14):11478. doi: 10.3390/ijms241411478. PMID: 37511235; PMCID: PMC10380707. ↥
Hokkanen L, Launes J, Michelsson K (2014): Adult neurobehavioral outcome of hyperbilirubinemia in full term neonates-a 30 year prospective follow-up study. PeerJ. 2014 Mar 4;2:e294. doi: 10.7717/peerj.294. PMID: 24688870; PMCID: PMC3961148. ↥
Jangaard KA, Fell DB, Dodds L, Allen AC (2008):Outcomes in a population of healthy term and near-term infants with serum bilirubin levels of >or=325 micromol/L (>or=19 mg/dL) who were born in Nova Scotia, Canada, between 1994 and 2000. Pediatrics. 2008 Jul;122(1):119-24. doi: 10.1542/peds.2007-0967. PMID: 18595994. ↥
Kuzniewicz M, Escobar GJ, Newman TB (2009): No association between hyperbilirubinemia and attention-deficit disorder. Pediatrics. 2009 Feb;123(2):e367-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.2008-2803. PMID: 19171601. ↥
Amato MM, Kilguss NV, Gelardi NL, Cashore WJ (1994): Dose-effect relationship of bilirubin on striatal synaptosomes in rats. Biol Neonate. 1994;66(5):288-93. doi: 10.1159/000244119. PMID: 7873694. ↥
Brann, B. S., Cashore, W. J., Patrick, R., Oh, W. (1985): In vitro effect of bilirubin on dopamine synthesis in adult rat brain synaptosomes. Pediatric Research, 19(4), 335-335. ↥
Roseth S, Hansen TW, Fonnum F, Walaas SI (1998): Bilirubin inhibits transport of neurotransmitters in synaptic vesicles. Pediatr Res. 1998 Sep;44(3):312-6. doi: 10.1203/00006450-199809000-00008. PMID: 9727706. ↥
Ochoa EL, Wennberg RP, An Y, Tandon T, Takashima T, Nguyen T, Chui A (1993): Interactions of bilirubin with isolated presynaptic nerve terminals: functional effects on the uptake and release of neurotransmitters. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 1993 Feb;13(1):69-86. doi: 10.1007/BF00712990. PMID: 8096165. ↥
Raghavan, Anand, Wang G, Hong X, Pearson, Zuckerman, Xie H, Wang X (2022): Association between cord blood metabolites in tryptophan pathway and childhood risk of autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. Transl Psychiatry. 2022 Jul 9;12(1):270. doi: 10.1038/s41398-022-01992-0. PMID: 35810183. n = 996 ↥
Ai, Zhao, Shi, Zhu (2021): Antibiotic exposure and childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2021 Oct 23. doi: 10.1007/s00213-021-05989-3. PMID: 34687335. ↥
Boland MR, Shahn Z, Madigan D, Hripcsak G, Tatonetti NP (2015): Birth month affects lifetime disease risk: a phenome-wide method. J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2015 Sep;22(5):1042-53. doi: 10.1093/jamia/ocv046. PMID: 26041386; PMCID: PMC4986668. ↥
Halldner L, Tillander A, Lundholm C, Boman M, Långström N, Larsson H, Lichtenstein P (2014): Relative immaturity and ADHD: findings from nationwide register oder, parent- and self-reports. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2014 Aug;55(8):897-904. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.12229. PMID: 24673585. ↥
Karlstad Ø, Furu K, Stoltenberg C, Håberg SE, Bakken IJ (2017):ADHD treatment and diagnosis in relation to children’s birth month: Nationwide cohort study from Norway. Scand J Public Health. 2017 Jun;45(4):343-349. doi: 10.1177/1403494817708080. PMID: 28482754. ↥
Vuori M, Martikainen JE, Koski-Pirilä A, Sourander A, Puustjärvi A, Aronen ET, Chudal R, Saastamoinen LK (2020): Children’s Relative Age and ADHD Medication Use: A Finnish Population-Based Study. Pediatrics. 2020 Oct;146(4):e20194046. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-4046. PMID: 32958613. ↥
Sayal K, Chudal R, Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki S, Joelsson P, Sourander A (2017): Relative age within the school year and diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a nationwide population-based study. Lancet Psychiatry. 2017 Nov;4(11):868-875. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(17)30394-2. PMID: 29033006. ↥
Hsu CW, Tseng PT, Tu YK, Lin PY, Hung CF, Liang CS, Hsieh YY, Yang YH, Wang LJ, Kao HY (2021): Month of birth and mental disorders: A population-based study and validation using global meta-analysis. Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2021 Aug;144(2):153-167. doi: 10.1111/acps.13313. PMID: 33930177; PMCID: PMC8360113. ↥
Koskinen A, Lemmetyinen R, Luukkainen A, Kankaanranta H, Ilmarinen P, Karjalainen J, Pekkanen J, Huhtala H, Haukka J, But A, Toppila-Salmi S (2023): Season of birth affects the risk of adult-onset asthma in Finland. Allergy. 2023 Feb;78(2):555-558. doi: 10.1111/all.15504. PMID: 36067009; PMCID: PMC10087432. ↥
Hasan MT, Shaban Abdelgalil M, Elbadawy MA, Mahmoud Elrosasy A, Elkhadragy A, El Garhy M, Awad AK (2023): Are congenital heart defects connected to more severe attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder?: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2023 Nov 24;102(47):e36193. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000036193. PMID: 38013322; PMCID: PMC10681578. METASTUDY ↥
Xie, Deng, Cao, Chang (2020): Digital screen time and its effect on preschoolers’ behavior in China: results from a cross-sectional study. Ital J Pediatr. 2020 Jan 23;46(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s13052-020-0776-x. PMID: 31973770. n = 1.897 ↥
Chudal, Brown, Gyllenberg, Hinkka-Yli-Salomäki, Sucksdorff, Surcel, Upadhyaya, Sourander (2019): Maternal serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and offspring attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2019 Jul 16. doi: 10.1007/s00787-019-01372-y. ↥
Al-Hathlol, Al-Obaid, Al-Gholaiqa, Al-Hathlol, Abdulaal, Al-Hajress, Al-Joufi, Al-Hassan, Al-Otaibi (2019): School performance and long-term outcomes of very preterm children conceived via in vitro fertilization. JBRA Assist Reprod. 2019 Sep 26. doi: 10.5935/1518-0557.20190063. ↥
Hegvik, Klungsøyr, Kuja-Halkola, Remes, Haavik, D’onofrio, Metsä-Simola, Engeland, Fazel, Lichtenstein, Martikainen, Larsson, Sariaslan (2022): Labor epidural analgesia and subsequent risk of offspring autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A cross-national cohort study of 4.5 million individuals and their siblings. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022 Aug 13:S0002-9378(22)00650-0. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2022.08.016. PMID: 35973476. n = 4.498.462 ↥
Shinohara S, Horiuchi S, Shinohara R, Otawa S, Kushima M, Miyake K, Yui H, Kojima R, Ooka T, Akiyama Y, Yokomichi H, Yamagata Z (2023): Japan Environment and Children’s Study Group. A nationwide, prospective, cohort study on exogenous oxytocin and delays in early child development: the Japan environment and children’s study. Eur J Pediatr. 2023 Jul 3. doi: 10.1007/s00431-023-05079-w. PMID: 37395828. ↥