الفهرس 
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Abstract
The ADHD has the highest incidence rate among all neurodevelopmental disorders. ADHD is characterized by inappropriate levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. These patients have evident social and academic problems that affect their global performance. During the childhood, the main manifestation of ADHD is hyperactivity, which is commonly identified at the preschool, whereas inattention becomes more evident at elementary school.
Neurotrophins are a family of four homodimeric proteins, including nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, neurotrophin-3, and neurotrophin-4/5 in humans. NGF participates in naturally occurring cell death, synaptic connectivity, and dendritic morphology, the regulation of brain plasticity. NGF has been associated with the pathophysiology of various neuropsychiatric disorders, some studies have investigated the association between NGF and several psychiatric disorders. NGF may be involved in the aetiopathogenesis of ADHD.
The aim of the current study was to study the association between the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the serum level of nerve growth factor in children.
This study was conducted on 85 children, divided into two groups:
group I (ADHD): including 50 children (28 males, 22 females) with the diagnosis of ADHD, their age ranges from 5 to 11 years.
group II (control group): including 35 normal healthy children (20 males, 15 females) of matched age and sex.
The patients were randomly selected from those attending at the outpatient neurology clinic and those admitted in pediatric department Menoufia University hospital in the period from October 2017 to March 2018.
All children were subjected to full history taking and thorough clinical examination especially neurological examination, and the following investigations:
Complete blood count.
Serum Nerve growth factor levels using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ElISA). Also, electroencephalography was done in the patients group.
The results of our study demonstrated that:
The mean age for ADHD was (7.83±1.65 years) while control children were (7.94±1.71years).
There was no significant statistical difference between ADHD and control groups regarding to gender, residence, parent education, socioeconomic status of the family and consanguinity.
ADHD-C and ADHD-HI were found in male more than female. ADHD types were commonly present in school age than preschool children.
38.0% of ADHD children presented with predominantly ADHD-C, compared to 28.0% presented with ADHD-HI and 34.0% presented with ADHD-I.
There was no significant statistical difference between ADHD and control groups regarding to age, weight, height, BMI, Family and maternal risk factors and CBC results.
Hence normal EEG findings was found in 86% of the ADHD patients.
There was highly significant statistical difference (P<0.001) between ADHD and control groups regarding to nerve growth factor. NGF was significantly increased in ADHD patient group (149.40±416) than in control group (64.94±19.06).
Nerve growth factor level was increased in ADHD with male than female, positive family history, ADHD-I than other types, behavioral symptoms, epilepsy, normal EEG findings, although not reached to be significant statistical level.