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Sleep disturbances in ADHD: investigating the contribution of polygenic liability for ADHD and sleep-related

Katie J S Lewis1, Joanna Martin1, Alice M Gregory2

  • 1MRC Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK.

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
|January 7, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may inherit a genetic predisposition for longer sleep duration. However, ADHD genetic risk does not appear to drive comorbid sleep disturbances in children.

Area of Science:

  • Genetics
  • Neurodevelopmental Disorders
  • Sleep Medicine

Background:

  • Sleep disturbances are prevalent in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), negatively impacting outcomes.
  • Understanding the genetic underpinnings of these sleep issues is crucial for effective intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the polygenic liability for sleep phenotypes in children with ADHD.
  • To determine if genetic risk for ADHD is associated with comorbid sleep disturbances.
  • To examine the transmission of sleep-related genetic risk from parents to children with ADHD.

Main Methods:

  • Derived polygenic scores (PGS) for insomnia, chronotype, sleep duration, and ADHD in 758 children with ADHD and their parents.
  • Conducted polygenic transmission disequilibrium tests in ADHD trios (N=328) and a replication sample (N=844).
  • Assessed associations between PGS and comorbid sleep phenotypes (hypersomnia, insomnia, restless sleep, poor sleep quality, nightmares).

Main Results:

  • Children with ADHD showed significant over-transmission of polygenic liability for long sleep duration.
  • No differential inheritance of polygenic liability for insomnia or chronotype was observed.
  • ADHD, insomnia, and sleep duration PGS were not significantly associated with comorbid sleep disturbances in children with ADHD.

Conclusions:

  • Children with ADHD may have a genetic predisposition for longer sleep duration.
  • Childhood sleep disturbances in ADHD may stem from mechanisms distinct from general population sleep phenotypes.
  • The genetic risk for ADHD does not appear to be a primary driver of comorbid sleep issues in this population.

Keywords:
ADHDComorbidityPolygenic scoresSleep

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