Proteomic Findings in ADHD: A Systematic Review

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that causes a notable burden on the patients, their families and society. Identifying and treating ADHD in the early stages is crucial for minimising the long-term impact of the disorder. Despite growing evidence of differences revealed by neuroimaging, neurophysiology, and genetic studies in ADHD populations, a reliable biomarker has not been shown yet. However, the use of proteomics has the potential to identify biomarkers for clinical screening and diagnosis, as well as to monitor treatment response, which has been proven beneficial in some other brain disorders before. According to our systematic literature review, the majority of proteomic studies in the context of ADHD have been conducted using animal models. The identified proteins appear to be predominantly associated with processes such as inflammation, myelination, neurotransmission, mitochondrial metabolism, cellular structural integrity and various intracellular signalling pathways. The results of these studies are discussed and integrated from a clinician's point of view in this review.