On Aug. 13, 2020, in a first-of-its-kind study in humans, investigators at the Center for ADHD Research at Oregon Health & Science University have reported that maternal inflammation, measured by higher levels of prenatal cytokines – or small proteins that aid the immune system – during the third trimester of pregnancy, may be associated with elevated ADHD symptoms in children between 4 and 6 years old.

More than 6 million children and adolescents in the U.S. have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder, or ADHD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.