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. 2022 Apr;26(6):809-821.
doi: 10.1177/10870547211036755. Epub 2021 Aug 11.

Childhood Trajectories of Hyperactivity/Inattention Symptoms and Diurnal Cortisol in Middle Adolescence: Results from a UK Birth Cohort

Dongying Ji  1 , Eirini Flouri  1 , Efstathios Papachristou  1 , Marta Francesconi  1
Affiliations

Childhood Trajectories of Hyperactivity/Inattention Symptoms and Diurnal Cortisol in Middle Adolescence: Results from a UK Birth Cohort

Dongying Ji et al. J Atten Disord. 2022 Apr.

Abstract

Objective: Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show hypoactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Whether the association between hyperactivity/inattention symptoms with HPA axis dysfunction holds in the general child population too is not clear.

Method: We assessed associations between longitudinal trajectories of hyperactivity/inattention symptoms during ages 4 to 13 years and basal cortisol profiles at age 15 in a British general population cohort.

Results: Adolescents with persistently high levels of hyperactivity/inattention symptoms since childhood showed lower total morning cortisol and a smaller diurnal decline, even after adjusting for confounders. No associations were found between any of the symptom trajectories and cortisol awakening response, diurnal slope or daily output of cortisol.

Conclusion: This study provides evidence for hypocortisolism among adolescents with chronic hyperactivity/inattention symptoms in the general population.

Keywords: ALSPAC; adolescence; childhood; cortisol; hyperactivity/inattention.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Flowchart of sample selection process.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Predicted diurnal cortisol rhythm across classes (95% CI).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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