Evidence and References
Note: references for ADHD-related facts that are assumed to be known by ADHD experts are not listed here.
Potassium. There are many excellent reviews on KATPs, including blockers and openers, relationship with CVD and diabetes, etc. [
1].
Importantly for ADHD, high intracellular potassium slows down the activity of the plasma membrane sodium-potassium pump (Na
+/K
+-ATPase) [
2].
Potassium channels in ADHD. A genetic analysis of ADHD found potassium channels (KCs) as one of the central pathways [
3]. A mutation in the Kir6.2 KATP subunit induces ADHD (as well as other symptoms) [
4]. A mutation in the SUR1 KATP subunit induces ADHD (with epilepsy and insulin-induced hypog) [
5]. Mutations in the Kv1.4 (shaker) and Kv4.3 KCs induce ADHD [
6,
7]. Kv10.1 and Kv2.1 knockout mice show hyperactivity [
8,
9].
K*ADHD explanations for some ADHD facts. ADHD is more common in males (also) because males have higher CRRs to moderate hypog [
10]. ADHD is much less common in adults because CRR glucose thresholds are higher in children (i.e., children show the ADHD phenomenon more than adults) [
11]. They are also much higher in DB2, explaining why almost one half of DB2 patients develop ADHD symptoms [
12]. KATPCs have an important role in the secretion of progesterone in the female reproductive system and hence their impairment may be related to preterm delivery [
13].
Direct SNS evidence. There is direct evidence for both increased and decreased (or desensitized) SNS activity in patients. For decreased SNS, one paper reported oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results in ADHD [
14]. At 3-5 hours post glucose ingestion, when insulin-induced hypog occurs, EPI greatly increased in controls (as part of CRRs), but its increase in ADHD subjects was 50% lower. NEP did not change in controls but was reduced to 73% in ADHD. There was a trend for lower growth hormone and glucagon. Thus, all CRR components, especially EPI (i.e., SNS), are reduced.
Substantially lower urine EPI in was reported inattentives, with no NEP diffs [
15]. Children and adolescents with ADHD show significantly lower basal blood pressure, which disappears after 10y [
16] Patients show lower urinary DOPEG, a NEP metabolite of MAO in SNS neurons, largely from recently reuptaken NEP [
17]. This can be due to decreased release, or increased uptake. There was also a trend for decreased urinary EPI. Patients showed decreased EPI, dopamine (DA) to cognitive stress (with higher tonic NEP, EPI) [
18]. In patients, exercise yields decreased elevations of EPI, NEP, DA, and lactate. Baseline NEP is significantly lower, but both NEP and EPI are still in the normal range [
19]. In a group of boys aged 13 (not diagnosed with ADHD), there was lower urinary EPI in higher aggresiveness, restlessness, concentration difficulties, and under stress [
20]. In another non-diagnosed group, there was a relationship between inattention (not in patients) & lower SNS activity (longer heart pre-ejection period) [
21]. In adolescent boys with externalizing problems, conduct disorder was associated with lower salivary alpha-amylase, indicating lower SNS activity [
22]. Sluggish symptoms was positively associated with heart rate variability (HRV, indicating decreased SNS)[
23].
Increased SNS activity was reported in many papers. Higher baseline NEP and/or EPI (with decreased EPI to cognitive stress) [
18]. Higher heart rate in severe ADHD. unchanged HRV [
24]. Higher heart rate, activity levels, especially in the afternoon (heart also night), in unmedicated patients [
25]. 2x higher NPY in plasma and urine, with markedly increased urine NEP, serotonin (SER) metabolite [
26]. Increased urinary normetanephrine (NMN), the main extracellular NEP metabolite. In patients without anxiety, lower NEP/NMN, EPI/metanephrine ratios. With anxiety, increased EPI [
27]. Higher urinary NEP, DA, with NEP correlating with hyperactivity [
28]. Higher urinary but not plasma NEP. EPI, DA unchanged. Lower/higher urinary MHPG/metanephrine (main EPI metab), MAO (lower platelet), zinc, magnesium (lower), GC (lower basal salivary) [
29]. Higher skin conductance, basal & under stress [
30]. Significantly higher salivary alpha-amylase [
31]. Significantly higher pupil dilation response, with no differerence in initial or dilated diameters [
32]. Reduced task-related HRV in a meta-review [
33].
Increased risk for heart problems [
34], and greater fatigue and sleep problems in ADHD [
35,
36,
37] also point to SNS dysregulation.
(There are many more references, including for cortisol and growth hormone, supporting chronic CRRs.)
Direct glucose evidence in patients. 17.6% lower absolute brain PET glucose metabolism was reported in hyperactive girls. Significantly decreased in 6/60 regions [
38] (however, this was not replicated in another study with a small number of female patients [
39].) Decreased cerebral glucose metabolism in adults with hyperactivity since childhood [
40].
Higher (35.7 vs 33.9, 39=preDB) but still normal HbA1c, with higher BMI and normal fasting blood glucose reported in 10-15yos [
41]. Note that silent hypog (glucose<3 mmol/l) is possible with high HbA1c. This occurs in 24/11% of type 2 diabetes (DB2) patients with HbA1c </>=7% [
42].
Surprisingly, I found only two papers that reported oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results in ADHD. In the first paper, a standard 5 hour OGTT was conducted with 265 hyperkinetic children, 211 males [
43]. Glucose curves were abnormal in 74%. Among these, 50% showed flat curves, 11% showed an immediate glucose decrease following ingestion, 15% showed a rapid excessive increase, and 11% showed a similar rapid increase with a slow recovery. Flat or decreasing curves (shown in 61% of the abnormal results, or 45% of the whole cohort) indicate insulin hypersensitivity, implying chronic hypog (which induces higher insulin receptor function) and/or faster insulin secretion in almost half of the patients. Rapid increase (shown in 19% of the whole cohort) indicates reduced first phase insulin secretion, supporting higher CRR thresholds. Thus, 64% showed a pattern consistent with K*ADHD. Note that faster insulin secretion indiates lower, not higher, CRR thresholds, but would still result in hypog. Chronic hypog explains the ADHD facts, but can stem from different core causes.
In the second paper [
14], following a nightly fast, a standard 5h OGTT was started in 8am. Up to 3 hours post glucose ingestion, glucose and insulin behavior were similar to controls. This shows that insulin functions normally (i.e., the body knows how to handle high glucose levels). However, at 3-5hs, when insulin-induced hypog occurs, EPI greatly increased in controls as part of CRRs, but its increase in ADHD subjects was 50% lower. NEP did not change in controls but was reduced to 73% in ADHD. There was a trend for lower growth hormone and glucagon. Thus, all CRR components, especially EPI (SNS), are reduced.
Dopamine. DA is a NEP precursor, so according to K*ADHD, it is probably chronically released and desensitized in ADHD. There is evidence that this is indeed the case [
44,
45,
46,
47,
48,
49].
Patient diet consistent with glucose need. Patients consume more sugar-rich and saturated fat-rich food, and this correlates with symptoms [
50]. Children and adolescents with ADHD consume more candy & fruit gum (sweets). Consumption is associated with hyperactivity [
51]. Positive association between sugar consumption, sugar beverages & symptoms in a meta-review [
52]. Higher risk with processed & snack diets, n=14,912, China [
53]. Inattention (also hyperactivity, weaker) correlates with high sugar, fat, protein, sea food diet in 18K Swedish twins [
54]. Sweetened beverage consumption associated with self-reported hyperactivity, inattention symptoms in youth [
55]. Higher/lower intake of sugary, high fat foods/vegetables, fruits, protein-rich foods. n=216, Taiwan [
56]. ADHD patients show poorer dental health, higher sugary food consumption [
57,
58].