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Early-Life Injuries and the Development of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Theresa Wimberley1,2,3,4, Isabell Brikell1,2,3, Emil M Pedersen1,2,3
1The Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research (iPSYCH), Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark.
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
|January 5, 2022
Summary
Early-life injuries are linked to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children and their families. Genetic factors partially explain this association, suggesting injuries may signal early ADHD behavioral signs.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Genetics
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder.
- Early-life injuries are increasingly recognized as potential environmental factors influencing neurodevelopment.
- The interplay between early injuries, familial factors, and ADHD risk requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phenotypic and familial association between early-life injuries and ADHD.
- To determine the genetic contribution to this association using polygenic risk scores and genetic correlation analyses.
Main Methods:
- A large cohort of Danish children (n=786,543) born 1995-2010 were followed for ADHD diagnosis.
- Hazard ratios and absolute risks of ADHD were calculated based on the number of injuries by age 5.
- Genetic data from a subset of cases and controls (n=16,580) were used for polygenic risk score (PRS-ADHD) and genetic correlation analyses.
Main Results:
- Early-life injuries showed a dose-response association with ADHD risk in both males and females.
- The absolute risk of ADHD by age 15 was significantly higher in children with multiple injuries compared to those with none.
- A significant genetic correlation (0.53) was found between ADHD and early-life injuries, with PRS-ADHD marginally associated with injury count.
Conclusions:
- Early-life injuries in individuals and their relatives are associated with ADHD diagnosis.
- The association is partly explained by genetic factors, indicating a potential shared etiology.
- Early injuries may represent or precede early behavioral manifestations of ADHD, though other factors remain influential.
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