Neurotransmitter Levels in Children With Specific Learning Disorder (SLD)

Dilara Ulger Ozbek

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy (Controls); Specific Learning Disability

Treatments: Procedure: Blood Product; Other: Elisa test

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07240142

SCÜ Child Psychiatry

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this clinical trial was to measure how specific neurotransmitter levels in children with Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) change compared to controls. The relationship between these markers and the measured markers will be determined both theoretically and experimentally using various neuropsychological tests. The fundamental questions it aims to answer are

Did neurotransmitter levels increase or decrease in the patient group? Are the neurotransmitter levels measured in the neuropsychological tests related? Can the measured neurotransmitters be used to predict the disease?

Participants:

A single visit to the clinic, a blood sample, and neuropsychological tests will be administered on the same day.

Full description

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the levels in serum of key neurotransmitters and their precursors (glutamate, L-arginine, and nitric oxide) in children with SLD and also to integrate these biochemical results with molecular docking analyses of their interactions with phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and N-methyl D-aspartate receptors (NMDA), both of which play significant roles in learning function in these patients.

The research group consisted of 20 children aged 7-14 years who had been diagnosed with SLD using DSM-5 criteria, as well as 20 age-matched, gender-matched, and educationally matched healthy controls. The children in the study group underwent the Stroop Test [Total Error Scores, Total Time Scores, Total Correction] and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) subtests, and the results were scored. The serum concentrations of glutamate, L-arginine, and nitric oxide (NO) were determined using ELISA. The diagnostic ability of the biomarkers was evaluated using ROC analysis. Additionally, the interactions of glutamate and L-arginine with the PLA2 enzyme and the NMDA receptor were examined using molecular docking analysis.

Enrollment: 40 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 7 to 14 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Study group: no additional mental disorder except a specific learning disability,
• The control group had no mental illness.
• Having no head injury or neurological illness for all groups.
• There is no drug that might possibly alter cognitive functions for all populations.

Exclusion criteria

• The study group had a mental disease other than a specific learning disability and ADHD.
• The control group had any mental condition.
• Having a head injury or neurological illness in all categories.
• Using drugs that may impair cognitive functioning in all groups those with additional diseases

Trial design

Primary purpose: Basic Science

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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40 participants in 1 patient group

Collection of blood samples

Experimental group

Description:

A 5 ml blood sample will be taken from the left arterial vein of the individuals in the study group, and serum will be obtained from it. The neurotransmitter concentrations specified in the serum samples will be measured with an ELISA test kit.

Treatment:

Other: Elisa test

Procedure: Blood Product