Causal Relationship between Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Two-Sample...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Genetics

Background:

• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) incidence is rising, yet effective therapies remain limited.
• Pathogeneses of ASD and Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show significant overlap.
• Investigating the ADHD-ASD relationship is crucial for disease prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) elevates the risk of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• To leverage genetic data for causal inference between ADHD and ASD.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Integrative Epidemiology Unit Open GWAS project database for ADHD and ASD data.
• Employed TwoSampleMR package in R (v4.3.1) for statistical analysis.
• Performed sensitivity analyses using MR-PRESSO and F-value for instrumental variable selection.

Main Results:

• Seven Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) were selected as valid instrumental variables for ADHD.
• Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method showed an Odds Ratio (OR) of 1.31 (95% CI: 1.14-1.52, p=0.0001).
• Weighted Median Estimator (WME) method indicated a similar trend with OR 1.37 (95% CI: 1.15-1.64, p=0.0005).

Conclusions:

• Mendelian randomization analysis provides evidence for a causal link between ADHD and ASD.
• Individuals diagnosed with ADHD exhibit an increased risk for developing ASD.
• Findings support the need for integrated approaches in managing and preventing these neurodevelopmental disorders.