Kismet N. Y., Gökçearslan S. S., Ülkar S. E., Açikel S. B.
Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry, ss.111731, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Özet
evelopment and glutamatergic signaling, yet their role in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remains poorly understood. This study examined serum levels of Thrombospondin-1 (Tsp-1), Sparc, and Sparcl-1 in children with ADHD and explored their associations with behavioral symptoms, executive dysfunction, and social impairments. Eighty-six children aged 6–12 years participated: 46 medication-naive with ADHD and 40 age- and sex-matched neurotypical controls. Clinical measures included the Conners' Parent Rating Scale–Revised: Long Form (CPRS-R:L), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF). Serum levels of Tsp-1, Sparc, and Sparcl-1 were quantified via ELISA.
Children with ADHD exhibited significantly lower serum levels of Tsp-1 (p < 0.001), Sparc (p = 0.020), and Sparcl-1 (p = 0.049) than controls. Lower Sparc levels were associated with poorer executive functioning and reduced social responsiveness, while lower Tsp-1 levels were positively associated with higher ADHD symptom severity. This study provides the first evidence of reduced serum astrocyte-derived ECM proteins in children with ADHD, implicating glia-mediated synaptic dysregulation in the disorder's pathophysiology. These findings suggest a novel glia-centered mechanism and support the potential of ECM proteins as biomarkers for ADHD subtypes and as targets for future therapeutic interventions.