Study: Low levels of serotonin during pregnancy yield higher chance of birth defects in kids

Research from the University of Bergen has revealed that mothers who produce low levels of serotonin are more likely to have children who develop ADHD.

The study illustrates that serotonin is important in developing various important brain functions, such as sleep, memory and appetite. Furthermore, disturbances in maintaining normal levels of the hormone can lead to functional and behavioral abnormalities that can be passed on to the child during pregnancy.

Researchers suggest that chronic inflammation, malnutrition and genetic vulnerability may cause serotonin deficiencies during pregnancy, which can create neuropsychiatric disorders. Experts said that the outcome depends on a sum of many different genetic or environmental factors in addition to variations in serotonin levels.

Mothers who had serotonin deficiencies were 2.5 times more likely to have children who developed ADHD than fathers who had low serotonin levels.

According to a 2006 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 3 and 7 percent of American children had ADHD. Diagnoses of this disorder in kids have increased by 3 percent since 1997.