Research: ADHD-like symptoms in celiac disease, and relationship between Covid infection and autoimmune disease development

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ADHD-Traits in Childhood Celiac Disease 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36635891/ 

Research published in the Journal of Attention Disorders compared 85 children with biopsy-proven celiac disease to a control group, with a focus on cognitive and behavioral traits. The aim was to investigate an association of these traits with vitamin levels, body-mass index, and compliance with the gluten-free diet. It was found that ADHD-like cognitive issues, such as inattention and learning difficulties – as well as psychosomatic symptoms and poor prosocial behavior – were associated with non-compliance with the gluten-free diet in children with celiac disease. The researchers conclude that untreated (or undiagnosed) celiac disease may predispose children to symptoms that resemble those of ADHD. They further note that physicians should be aware of the probability of misdiagnosing ADHD due to symptoms that may be present because of untreated celiac disease. 

 

 

Risk of Autoimmune Diseases in Patients with COVID-19 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9830133/  

A large-scale retrospective study sought to add insights to a growing number of case reports of various autoimmune diseases occurring after COVID-19 infection. Between January 2020 and December 2021 over three million participants were included in the study. The “case” group (individuals who had been infected with COVID) were individuals who had not been vaccinated. This group was matched with a control group of participants who tested negative and were not diagnosed with COVID-19 throughout the follow-up period. The endpoint being assessed was the incidence of newly recorded autoimmune disease. The researchers found that among the COVID-19 group, there was a significantly higher risk of various autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus, systemic sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and celiac disease. 

The researchers note that their findings should be replicated, and that further research is needed in order to better understand the underlying mechanisms involved.