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Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
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Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

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Potential effects of zinc on information processing in boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Ozgur Yorbik1, M Fatih Ozdag, Abdullah Olgun

  • 1Department of Child Psychiatry, Gulhane School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
|December 18, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Children with ADHD have lower plasma zinc levels, impacting cognitive processes like information processing and inhibition. Lower zinc is linked to altered N2 wave activity, suggesting a role for zinc supplementation in managing ADHD symptoms.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biochemistry
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder.
  • Zinc is an essential trace element involved in various brain functions.
  • Altered event-related potentials (ERPs) are observed in individuals with ADHD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the relationship between plasma zinc levels and specific ERP components (P1, N2, P3) in children with ADHD.
  • To compare zinc levels and ERPs in children with ADHD to those in healthy controls.
  • To investigate potential differences in ERPs between ADHD children with low zinc levels and those with non-deficient zinc levels.

Main Methods:

  • The study included 28 boys diagnosed with ADHD and 24 healthy control boys.
  • ADHD participants were categorized into low zinc (<80 microg/dL) and zinc non-deficient (>=80 microg/dL) groups.
  • Auditory oddball paradigm was used to record ERPs (P1, N2, P3) from frontal and parietal regions. Plasma zinc levels were quantified using atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Main Results:

  • Children with ADHD exhibited significantly lower plasma zinc levels compared to controls.
  • ADHD participants showed reduced P3 amplitudes and prolonged P3 latency in parietal regions compared to controls.
  • In ADHD children, lower zinc levels were associated with shorter N2 latencies in frontal and parietal regions and a positive correlation between zinc levels and frontal N2 amplitude/latency.

Conclusions:

  • Plasma zinc levels may influence information processing in children with ADHD.
  • Lower zinc levels appear to specifically affect the N2 wave, potentially indicating alterations in inhibitory processes.
  • Further research is recommended to explore the impact of zinc on inhibitory functions in ADHD, particularly in relation to zinc status.
Abstract

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