Several Genetic Variants Shared Between Autism and ADHD, Study Finds

Genomic analyses have identified both shared and specific genetic variants associated with autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Researchers published their findings online ahead of print in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

“Further functional investigation of genes mapped to those shared variants may help identify pathophysiological pathways and new targets for treatment,” researchers wrote.

The study involved genomic analyses of summary data from a pair of genome-wide association studies: 1 included 46,350 people with autism spectrum disorder, and 1 included 55,374 people with ADHD.

Using genomic structural equation modeling and colocalization analysis, researchers found that 37.5% of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with autism spectrum disorder colocalized with ADHD SNPs. Meanwhile, 19.6% of the SNPs associated with ADHD colocalized with autism spectrum disorder SNPs.

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The study identified genes mapped to SNPs specific to each condition, as well as genes shared by both conditions. The shared genes included 2 novel genes, INSM1 and PAX1, as well as 6 that had been previously reported: XRN2, SORCS3, PTBP2, NKX2-4, MANBA, and DPYD, according to Psychiatry Advisor coverage.

“Our bidirectional Mendelian randomization analyses indicated that the risk of autism spectrum disorder was associated with an increased risk of ADHD,” researchers reported, “and vice versa.”

References

Peyre H, Schoeler T, Liu C, et al. Combining multivariate genomic approaches to elucidate the comorbidity between autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. Published online July 7, 2021. doi: 10.1111/jcpp.13479

May B. Can the genetic overlap of ADHD and autism guide better treatment? Psychiatry Advisor. August 20, 2021. Accessed September 28, 2021.