Exposure to environmental and lifestyle factors and attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder in children - A review of epidemiological studies

• Authors: Kinga Polańska , Joanna Jurewicz , Wojciech Hanke

Abstracts

EN

Attention-defi cit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders in children. Although the mechanisms that lead to the development of ADHD remain unclear, genetic and environmental factors have been implicated. These include heavy metals and chemical exposures, nutritional and lifestyle/psychosocial factors. The aim of this review was to investigate the association between ADHD or ADHD-related symptoms and widespread environmental factors such as phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), tobacco smoke, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polyfl uoroalkyl chemicals (PFCs) and alcohol. Medline, PubMed and Ebsco search was performed to identify the studies which analyze the association of prenatal and postnatal child exposure to environmental toxicants and lifestyle factors and ADHD or ADHD-related symptoms. The review is restricted to human studies published since 2000 in English in peer reviewed journals. Despite much research has been done on the association between environmental risk factors and ADHD or ADHD symptoms, results are not consistent. Most studies in this fi eld, focused on exposure to tobacco smoke, found an association between that exposure and ADHD and ADHD symptoms. On the other hand, the impact of phthalates, BPA, PFCs, PAHs and alcohol is less frequently investigated and does not allow a fi rm conclusion regarding the association with the outcomes of interest.

Keywords

EN

children; environmental toxicants; attention–defi cit/hyperactivity disorder; inattention; impulsivity

• Publisher: Instytut Medycyny Pracy im. prof. dra Jerzego Nofera w Łodzi
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health
• Year: 2012
• Volume: 25
• Issue: 4
• Pages: 330-355

Dates

published

2012

Contributors

author

Kinga Polańska

• Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, św. Teresy 8, 91-348, Łódź, Poland

author

Joanna Jurewicz

• Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, św. Teresy 8, 91-348, Łódź, Poland

author

Wojciech Hanke

• Department of Environmental Epidemiology, Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine, św. Teresy 8, 91-348, Łódź, Poland

Identifiers

DOI

10.2478/S13382-012-0048-0

Biblioteka Nauki

2180010