Rare genetic changes that are spontaneous—and not inherited from parents—may contribute to the underpinnings of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a new study from Yale School of Medicine. While common genetic changes have been found to have an important role in the onset of ADHD through prior research on —commonly known as DNA, a molecule in the body containing that is typically inherited—researchers from the Yale Child Study Center (YCSC) and Yale Department of Psychiatry demonstrate that rare de novo (spontaneous) genetic changes in the DNA code can contribute to the genetic underpinnings of this common childhood-onset disorder. Led by clinicians who inform their clinical practice through scientific research—and vice versa—the study also identified a risk gene for ADHD that has previously been identified as a risk gene for autism spectrum disorder.
Additionally, study data indicate that there are an estimated one thousand genes underlying risk for ADHD that have not yet been identified. These findings provide new insight into and understanding of the biology of ADHD, while also demonstrating the potential of DNA sequencing in larger cohorts to uncover additional risk genes. This, in turn, has implications for the development of more effective treatments and interventions for this common neurodevelopmental condition.
YCSC Assistant Professor Emily Olfson was the lead author of this collaborative study, in July in the journal . Olfson a.