genetic component of ADHD - link to article

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

An article in today’s Post about a study of the genetics of ADHD and frequently co-morbid issues-depression, etc.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A26254-2004Jan17.html

Submitted by Roxie on Tue, 01/20/2004 - 4:14 PM

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Thank you for sharing that article. I have to wonder, how many of us dealing with ADHD are suprised by the reported findings? I know that am not. Such a study clearly indicates the complexity of ADHD, and the pitfalls of untreated ADHD.

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 01/20/2004 - 5:12 PM

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No, I wasn’t so surprised that ADHD runs in families but I hadn’t really made the connection to co-morbidity of depression having a genetic component but it certainly makes sense. So does the familial component of substance-abuse.
The pitfalls of undiagnosed/untreated ADHD indeed.

Submitted by Dad on Tue, 01/20/2004 - 5:47 PM

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Genetics is a wonderous thing, and not nearly so clear-cut or simple as some would think. As the parent of a child with autism (another genetic/environmental issue), I see three distinct schools of thought…

1) It is all in the genes, meaning that if ADHD (or autism, whatever) is indeed genetic, then it is there, and screening is needed to begin therapy ASAP.

2) It is a mix of genetic possibility coupled with some environmental triggering event. In the absence of the triggering event, the gene remains unexpressed and the condition is latent (although the gene can be passed on). This is what many believe autism is, although the “official” line is avoiding this because of the rammifications.

Conversely, it could be a gene that is NOT triggered. Some genes lay dormant until they are turned on by hormones or other triggering chemicals in the body.

3) The genes are irrelevant, the condition is due to environmental triggers.

There is a 4th possibility that some believe, and that would be that the whole genetic search is a waste of time because ADHD does not actually exist. I don’t believe that, but it is a line of thought, and needs to be acknowledged, not dismissed out of hand. (I will assume that discussions of this kind can be made intelligently and maturely.)

The linking of ADHD to potentially comorbid disorders is not as simple as the authors of this piece make it seem. I am not sure there is an actual link between depression and ADHD, or psychosis and ADHD any more than I think there is a link between Fragile X and autism or anxiety disorder and autism. I think it is entirely possible and more than a little likely that the concurrance of depression and ADHD is entirely chance. This was a medium-small sample for them to base their opinions on.

Time will tell…

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