The relationship between problem behavior and neurotransmitter deficiency in adolescents

This study examined the association of problem behavior with neurotransmitter deficiency in adolescents, which would provide new insights into behavioral problems. A total of 1259 students of the seventh grade from 4 middle schools in Wuhan city located in the central China were recruited. With the approval of school and parents, they were invited to complete the Youth Self-Report (YSR) questionnaire and Symptom Scale of Neurotransmitter Deficiency (SSND) questionnaire. Pearson’s bivariate correlation analysis showed that the correlation coefficients between each subscale of YSR and SSND ranged from 0.24 to 0.61 with all P<0.01. Canonical correlation analysis indicated that anxiety/depression was interrelated with insufficiency of GABA and 5-HT; aggressive behavior was associated with inadequate GABA; famine of DA influenced the attention problems. It was concluded that neurotransmitter deficiency may cause a series of behavioral and mental problems.