Genetic and environmental influences on the relationship between adult ADHD symptoms and self-reported problem drinking in 6024 Dutch twins
Abstract
Background: Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have shown a positive association between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and problematic alcohol use in adults. To what extent this association is explained by genetic and environmental factors is largely unknown. Method: Data on ADHD and alcohol consumption were collected by self-report in 6024 adult Dutch twins. ADHD symptoms were assessed by three subscales of the Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales – Self-Report: Screening Version (CAARS–S:SV): inattentiveness, hyperactivity and the ADHD index (ADHD-I). Problem drinking was defined as at least two self-reported alcohol-related problems on the CAGE questionnaire. Structural equation modelling was applied to the bivariate twin data to estimate genetic and environmental influences. Results: Heritability of ADHD symptoms ranged between 32% and 40% and heritability of problem drinking was 50%. The positive correlation between ADHD symptoms and problem drinking was confirmed in this general population sample, with phenotypic correlations between 0.20 and 0.28 and genetic correlations between 0.39 and 0.50. Phenotypic correlations are primarily (61–100%) explained by genetic influences with non-shared environmental influences explaining the remaining covariance. No significant quantitative or qualitative gender differences in covariance structure were found. Conclusions: This study convincingly shows that ADHD symptoms and problem drinking are moderately but significantly correlated in adults and that genetic correlations are primarily underlying this association. This suggests that early interventions are required to prevent adolescents with ADHD from developing problematic levels of alcohol use. Furthermore, clinicians who treat alcohol-dependent patients should be aware that the patient may have a co-morbid condition of ADHD; integrated interventions are required.
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The co-occurrence of ADHD and SUD can be partly explained by common genetic predispositions.
“Studies suggest that the co-occurrence of ADHD and SUD can be partly explained by common vulnerability factors, including genetic predispositions [7,8,9]”
From Treatment of Adolescents with Concurrent Substance Use Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Systematic Review (2021) · cites this paper as [7]
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Alcohol use disorders and ADHD.
Luderer, M., Ramos Quiroga, J. A., Faraone, S. V., Zhang-James, Y., & Reif, A. (2021) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.010 · Cited by 102 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Derks, E. M., Vink, J. M., Willemsen, G., van den Brink, W., & Boomsma, D. I.
- Affiliations
- Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam (NL)
- Amsterdam Neuroscience (NL)
- Amsterdam Public Health (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Derks, E. M.
- Venue
- Psychological Medicine
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2014-03-03
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 2673-2683
- ISSN
- 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8978
- OpenAlex
- W2115748570
- Cited by
- 30
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 5 · 2015: 3
- FWCI
- 2.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Pure Amsterdam UMC (publishedVersion)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
- VU Research Portal (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Stichting Volksbond Rotterdam
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- adult ADHD, problem drinking, alcohol abuse, heritability, genetic correlation, nonshared environment, twin studies, ADHD symptoms, inattention, hyperactivity, comorbidities, gender differences
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Diseases in Twins, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Netherlands, Comorbidity, Alcohol-Related Disorders, Self Report, Gene-Environment Interaction
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