Genetic Epidemiology of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD Index) in Adults
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CONTEXT: In contrast to the large number of studies in children, there is little information on the contribution of genetic factors to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the heritability of ADHD in adults as assessed by the ADHD index scored from the CAARS (Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scales). DESIGN: Phenotype data from over 12,000 adults (twins, siblings and parents) registered with the Netherlands Twin Register were analyzed using genetic structural equation modeling. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Heritability estimates for ADHD from the twin-family study. RESULTS: Heritability of ADHD in adults is estimated around 30% in men and women. There is some evidence for assortative mating. All familial transmission is explained by genetic inheritance, there is no support for the hypothesis that cultural transmission from parents to offspring is important. CONCLUSION: Heritability for ADHD features in adults is present, but is substantially lower than it is in children.
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Studies of self-rated ADHD symptoms in adult population twin samples report lower heritability in region of 30-40%.
“Yet, studies of self-rated ADHD symptoms in adult population twin samples consistently report lower estimates of heritability, in the region of 30-40% from two published [59,60] and one unpublished (Larsson et al., in preparation) study.”
From European consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD: The European Network Adult ADHD (2010) · cites this paper as [60]
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References 47 · Cited by 140
- Authors
- Boomsma, D. I., Saviouk, V., Hottenga, J.-J., Distel, M. A., de Moor, M. H. M., Vink, J. M., Geels, L. M., van Beek, J. H. D. A., Bartels, M., de Geus, E. J. C., & Willemsen, G.
- Affiliations
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Boomsma, Dorret I.
- Venue
- PLoS ONE
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- Published
- 2010-05-12
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- e10621
- ISSN
- 1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2868902
- OpenAlex
- W2099270767
- Cited by
- 140
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 19 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 11.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (publishedVersion)
- VU Research Portal (publishedVersion, other-oa)
- EUR Research Repository (Erasmus University Rotterdam) (submittedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Digital Academic REpository of VU University Amsterdam (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Funders
- ZonMw (56-464-14192, 31160008, 480‐04‐004)
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (NWO/ SPI 56-464-14192, 311-60008, NWO 480-04-004, 56‐464‐14192, Spi-56-464-14192, 14192, 480-04-004)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- adult ADHD, heritability, genetic epidemiology, assortative mating, family transmission, cultural transmission, twin and family studies, Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Culture, Female, Humans, Male, Models, Genetic, Netherlands, Phenotype, Twins, Likelihood Functions
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