Common Genetic Influences For ADHD And Reading Disability

Main Category: ADHD
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;??Dyslexia;??Genetics
Article Date: 09 Dec 2010 - 3:00 PST window.fbAsyncInit = function() { FB.init({ appId: 'aa16a4bf93f23f07eb33109d5f1134d3', status: true, cookie: true, xfbml: true, channelUrl: 'http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/scripts/facebooklike.html'}); }; (function() { var e = document.createElement('script'); e.async = true; e.src = document.location.protocol + '//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js'; document.getElementById('fb-root').appendChild(e); }()); email to a friend ? printer friendly ? opinions ?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and developmental reading disability (RD) are complex childhood disorders that frequently occur together; if a child is experiencing trouble with reading, symptoms of ADHD are often also present. However, the reason for this correlation remains unknown. A new study reported in the latest special issue of Cortex (see at the link below), dedicated to "Developmental Dyslexia and Dysgraphia", has suggested that the disorders have common genetic influences, which may also lead to slow processing speed the brain taking longer to make sense of the information it receives.

The researchers looked at 457 pairs of twins from the Colorado Learning Disabilities Research Center (CLDRC) twin study an ongoing study of the causes of reading disabilities, ADHD, and related disorders. Dr Erik Willcutt and colleagues compared groups of participants with and without RD and ADHD, using a variety of tests to measure general cognitive ability, processing speed, reading and language skills, and then analysed results from pairs of twins within those groups to determine the genetic causes of any correlations. The use of identical twins, who share all their genes, and non-identical twins, who share only half their genes, allowed the researchers to distinguish between genetic and environmental influences on the participants' cognitive abilities.

The findings showed that both RD and ADHD are complex disorders, influenced by many factors; ADHD on its own was associated with a reduced ability to inhibit responses to stimuli, while reading disabilities were associated with various weaknesses in language and memory. However, both disorders were associated with a slow processing speed and the twin-analyses further revealed a significant genetic correlation between RD and ADHD, i.e., a participant with one of the disorders was more likely to show symptoms of the other. The authors of the study suggest that processing efficiency may therefore be a useful marker to look for in future studies of the connection between the two disorders.

Sources: Elsevier, AlphaGalileo Foundation.

Please rate this article:
(Hover over the stars
then click to rate)

Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.

posted by Kelso on 9 Dec 2010 at 10:17 pm

I would recommend reading this article if you have ADHD because it has good detail and is very extensive.

| post followup | alert a moderator |

All opinions are moderated before being added.

Please note that we publish your name, but we do not publish your email address. It is only used to let you know when your message is published. We do not use it for any other purpose. Please see our privacy policy for more information.

If you write about specific medications or operations, please do not name health care professionals by name.

Contact Our News Editors

For any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form.

Please send any medical news or health news press releases to:

View the original article here

Common Genetic Influences For ADHD And Reading Disability

Posted on: Wednesday, 8 December 2010, 21:27 CST

A new twin-study has found that their co-occurrence may be linked to slow processing speed

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and developmental reading disability (RD) are complex childhood disorders that frequently occur together; if a child is experiencing trouble with reading, symptoms of ADHD are often also present. However, the reason for this correlation remains unknown. A new study reported in the latest special issue of Cortex (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00109452), dedicated to "Developmental Dyslexia and Dysgraphia", has suggested that the disorders have common genetic influences, which may also lead to slow processing speed ? the brain taking longer to make sense of the information it receives.

The researchers looked at 457 pairs of twins from the Colorado Learning Disabilities Research Center (CLDRC) twin study ? an ongoing study of the causes of reading disabilities, ADHD, and related disorders. Dr Erik Willcutt and colleagues compared groups of participants with and without RD and ADHD, using a variety of tests to measure general cognitive ability, processing speed, reading and language skills, and then analysed results from pairs of twins within those groups to determine the genetic causes of any correlations. The use of identical twins, who share all their genes, and non-identical twins, who share only half their genes, allowed the researchers to distinguish between genetic and environmental influences on the participants' cognitive abilities.

The findings showed that both RD and ADHD are complex disorders, influenced by many factors; ADHD on its own was associated with a reduced ability to inhibit responses to stimuli, while reading disabilities were associated with various weaknesses in language and memory. However, both disorders were associated with a slow processing speed and the twin-analyses further revealed a significant genetic correlation between RD and ADHD, i.e., a participant with one of the disorders was more likely to show symptoms of the other. The authors of the study suggest that processing efficiency may therefore be a useful marker to look for in future studies of the connection between the two disorders.

---

On the Net:

More News in this Category

View the original article here

ADHD and reading disability have common genetic influences

Washington, Dec 9 : A new study has revealed how Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and developmental reading disability (RD) in children frequently occur together.

If a child is experiencing trouble with reading, symptoms of ADHD are often also present. However, the reason for this correlation remains unknown.

The new study has suggested that the childhood disorders have common genetic influences, which may also lead to slow processing speed - the brain taking longer to make sense of the information it receives.

The researchers looked at 457 pairs of twins from the Colorado Learning Disabilities Research Center (CLDRC) twin study - an ongoing study of the causes of reading disabilities, ADHD, and related disorders.

Erik Willcutt and colleagues compared groups of participants with and without RD and ADHD, using a variety of tests to measure general cognitive ability, processing speed, reading and language skills, and then analysed results from pairs of twins within those groups to determine the genetic causes of any correlations.

The findings showed that both RD and ADHD are complex disorders, influenced by many factors; ADHD on its own was associated with a reduced ability to inhibit responses to stimuli, while reading disabilities were associated with various weaknesses in language and memory.

However, both disorders were associated with a slow processing speed and the twin-analyses further revealed a significant genetic correlation between RD and ADHD, i.e., a participant with one of the disorders was more likely to show symptoms of the other.

The finding has been reported in the latest special issue of Cortex.

--ANI

View the original article here

Sleep-disordered breathing is common but hard to detect in pediatric patients

ScienceDaily (June 5, 2010) ? According to new research presented on June 5, at the 19th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, an estimated 18 percent of pediatric patients in a University of North Carolina-based study were at risk for sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBD). Importantly, pediatric risk was not associated with any demographic or craniofacial characteristics, as it is in adults, making it difficult to detect.

The study included 100 children between seven and 17 years of age, of which 43 percent were male and 57 percent were female. The group was 73 percent Caucasian, 10 percent Hispanic, nine percent African American, five percent Asian, and two percent American Indian.

Researchers used a previously validated survey, the Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire (PSQ), to estimate the risk of SRBD. Each patient's parent or guardian completed the PSQ for his or her child. A score of 0.33 suggested risk for SRBD. Results indicated that 18 percent of the participants were at risk for sleep-disordered breathing.

Orthodontic records including information on craniofacial characteristics were obtained for each patient. The researchers looked for an association between risk for SRBD and craniofacial features. They also examined the effect of gender, race, age, and body mass index on SRBD risk. No significant associations were found for either demographic or craniofacial characteristics.

"We were surprised that our findings suggested that the risk for pediatric sleep disordered breathing was as high as it was, since our review of the literature suggested that the prevalence of pediatric obstructive sleep apnea was one to three percent. We speculate that either our sample size was too small, or that additional factors contribute to the condition in children," said principle investigator Kristen Fritz.

Early diagnosis of pediatric SRBD is critical because signs and symptoms often lead to misdiagnosis of sleep disorders as other clinical conditions such as attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

SRBD are serious conditions with major health-related consequences for children. This study alerts health care providers to the fact that it is not possible to predict risk for SRBD by looking at certain demographic or craniofacial characteristics in children.

"Screening tools such as the PSQ, or specific inquiry about suspected risk factors such as snoring, sleepiness or behavioral problems, offer dentists who treat children an opportunity to recognize, educate and refer pediatric patients that may be at risk for SRBD," said Fritz.

Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by American Academy of Sleep Medicine, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

View the original article here

Childhood cancer survivors show sustained benefit from common ADHD medication

ScienceDaily (Sep. 14, 2010) ? A medicine widely used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) also provides long-term relief from the attention and behavior changes that affect many childhood cancer survivors, according to a multicenter trial led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators.

Researchers reported that one year after starting the drug methylphenidate, young cancer survivors scored better on tests of sustained attention and other measures of attention, social skills and behavior than did a similar group of unmedicated survivors. While taking methylphenidate, scores on the attention and behavior measures of many survivors returned to normal ranges. Methylphenidate is marketed under several brand names, including Ritalin and Concerta. The study is the first to document that some survivors enjoy long-term benefits from its use.

Coupled with results from earlier medication side effects studies, the study's authors said these findings offer hope and reassurance for survivors, their families and others looking for ways to ease such late effects of cancer and its treatment. The work appears in the September 13 online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

"We found that methylphenidate improves both attention and social skills and that these benefits are maintained," said Heather Conklin, Ph.D., assistant member of the St. Jude Department of Psychology and the study's first author. "Although the drug did not lead to a significant gain in measured academic skills, many parents reported their children's grades improved because the children did a better job of managing tasks like planning ahead for projects or remembering to complete and turn in assignments."

The results come as the growing ranks of childhood cancer survivors have the pediatric cancer community searching for better ways to ease or even prevent treatment late effects.

Conklin said the findings also underscore the need for non-pharmacological approaches. Earlier research from Conklin and her colleagues found only about half of young cancer survivors benefit from methylphenidate. Also, Conklin said many parents are reluctant to use the drug and some survivors may not be good candidates due to medical or other reasons. "We are moving forward with research into new strategies to benefit more survivors and their families," she said.

This study focused on young survivors of brain tumors and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Their cancer treatment included surgery, radiation and/or chemotherapy targeting the central nervous system. Those treatments and other factors, including a patient's age at treatment, are linked to risk of later attention, memory and processing speed problems that make learning difficult. Such troubles can reverberate through life and affect a survivor's ability to hold a job and live independently.

Although methylphenidate has been used successfully for decades to treat ADHD in healthy children, Conklin said that was no guarantee the drug would benefit children whose symptoms followed a cancer diagnosis. Excluded from this study were children who had ADHD before their cancer was found.

After a year of methylphenidate, young cancer survivors scored better on tests of sustained attention. Parent, teacher and survivor ratings of attention all improved. Parental ratings of social skills and behavior problems also documented that survivors had benefited. The group included 35 brain tumor and 33 ALL survivors.

In contrast, only parental ratings of attention and social skills improved during the same period for a similar group of survivors not taking medication. The group included 31 brain tumor and 23 ALL survivors.

Academic skills measured by completion of math, reading and spelling problems were not significantly better in either group. Conklin said that might reflect the study design, which did not assess changes in executive aspects of school performance, including organization and planning.

The other authors of this paper are Wilburn Reddick, Jason Ashford, Susan Ogg, Scott Howard, Robbin Christensen, Shengjie Wu, Xiaoping Xiong (St. Jude); E. Brannon Morris (Athens, Ga.); Ronald Brown (Temple University); Melanie Bonner (Duke University) and Raja Khan (Semmes-Murphey Institute, Memphis).

This work was supported in part by the National Cancer Institute and ALSAC.

Editor's Note: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Journal Reference:

Heather M. Conklin, Wilburn E. Reddick, Jason Ashford, Susan Ogg, Scott C. Howard, E. Brannon Morris, Ronald Brown, Melanie Bonner, Robbin Christensen, Shengjie Wu, Xiaoping Xiong, Raja B. Khan. Long-Term Efficacy of Methylphenidate in Enhancing Attention Regulation, Social Skills, and Academic Abilities of Childhood Cancer Survivors. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2010; DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2010.28.4026

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

View the original article here