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Human endogenous retroviruses and ADHD

natasa778

Senior Member
Messages
1,774
World J Biol Psychiatry. 2013 Nov 28. [Epub ahead of print]
Human endogenous retroviruses and ADHD.
Balestrieri E, Pitzianti M, Matteucci C, D'Agati E, Sorrentino R, Baratta A, Caterina R, Zenobi R, Curatolo P, Garaci E, Sinibaldi-Vallebona P, Pasini A.
Source
Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, "Tor Vergata" University of Rome , Rome , Italy.

Abstract
Objectives. Several lines of evidences suggest that human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are implicated in the development of many complex diseases with a multifactorial aetiology and a strong heritability, such as neurological and psychiatric diseases. Attention deficit hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that results from a complex interaction of environmental, biological and genetic factors. Our aim was to analyse the expression levels of three HERV families (HERV-H, K and W) in patients with ADHD. Methods. The expression of retroviral mRNAs from the three HERV families was evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 30 patients with ADHD and 30 healthy controls by quantitative RT-PCR. Results. The expression levels of HERV-H are significantly higher in patients with ADHD compared to healthy controls, while there are no differences in the expression levels of HERV-K and W. Conclusions. Since the ADHD aetiology is due to a complex interaction of environmental, biological and genetic factors, HERVs may represent one link among these factors and clinical phenotype of ADHD. A future confirmation of HERV-H overexpression in a larger number of ADHD patients will make possible to identify it as a new parameter for this clinical condition, also contributing to deepen the study on the role of HERVs in the neurodevelopment diseases.
 

natasa778

Senior Member
Messages
1,774
Same as this one

The quantitative evaluation shows that HERV-H and HERV-W are differentially expressed in the two groups, with HERV-H being more abundantly expressed and, conversely, HERV-W, having lower abundance, in PBMCs from ASDs compared to healthy controls. PMBCs from ASDs also showed an increased potential to up-regulate HERV-H expression upon stimulation in culture, unlike HCs. Furthermore we report a negative correlation between expression levels of HERV-H and age among ASD patients and a statistically significant higher expression in ASD patients with Severe score in Communication and Motor Psychoeducational Profile-3.


Would be very interesting to know if the HERV-H levels also correlated with severity in ADHD in the first study ...
 

MeSci

ME/CFS since 1995; activity level 6?
Messages
8,231
Location
Cornwall, UK
Attention deficit hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that results from a complex interaction of environmental, biological and genetic factors.

I was surprised by the certainty in this statement, as I had thought that the cause(s) were not known for certain, and indeed even the diagnosis is controversial.

Interesting though.
 

natasa778

Senior Member
Messages
1,774
I was surprised by the certainty in this statement, as I had thought that the cause(s) were not known for certain, and indeed even the diagnosis is controversial.

Interesting though.


Isn't that to be expected for a spectrum disorder, with no biomarkers available and diagnosis and definition based solely on observing surface symptoms ... A blueprint for 'controversy'