Elevated Monocyte Levels Maybe a Common Peripheral Inflammatory Marker in Specific Learning Disorders and Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Aim: the primary aim of this study was to determine whether the neutrophil / lymphocyte ratio, mean platelet volume, monocyte/ lymphocyte ratio and distribution width of red blood cells are different in children with specific learning disorders compared to healthy controls. The second aim of the study is to investigate the relationships of those inflammatory markers with SLDs clinical severity. Methods: A total of 100 drug-naive participants, aged 7-12 years, who were newly diagnosed as having specific learning disorders according to the DSM-5 criteria were compared with a healthy control group of 75 age, sex matched children. the neutrophil / lymphocyte ratio, mean platelet volume, monocyte/ lymphocyte ratio and distribution width of red blood cells were measured according to the complete blood count. Results: specific learning disorders significantly affected monocyte levels and tended to affect monocyte/ lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil levels while attention deficit hyperactivity disorder diagnosis significantly affected monocyte levels and mean platelet volume and also tended to affect distribution width of red blood cells. Specific learning disorders symptom severity did not correlate significantly with peripheral inflammatory markers. Conclusions: This study is the first to investigate the effect of peripheral inflammatory markers in a large specific learning disorders sample by controlling attention deficit hyperactivity disorder comorbidity. The findings demonstrated that the monocyte levels are higher in both specific learning disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder groups suggesting that elevated monocyte levels may be a common marker in the inflammatory pathophysiology.