Related Experiment Videos
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder with bipolar disorder: a familial subtype?
S V Faraone1, J Biederman, D Mennin
1Pediatric Psychopharmacology Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA.
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
|October 23, 1997
Summary
Comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder (BPD) in children appears distinct, with BPD risk elevated in families when the child has both conditions, suggesting a unique diagnostic category.
Area of Science:
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Genetic Epidemiology
Background:
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder (BPD) are common childhood psychiatric conditions.
- The nosological status and familial relationships of comorbid ADHD and BPD require clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the familial distinction of children with comorbid ADHD and BPD.
- To examine the genetic and familial overlap between ADHD and BPD.
Main Methods:
- A study involving 140 children with ADHD, 120 non-ADHD controls, and 822 first-degree relatives.
- Utilized blind raters and structured psychiatric interviews for diagnosis.
- Performed data analyses to test familial relationships between ADHD and BPD.
Main Results:
- Relatives of children with ADHD (with or without BPD) showed increased risk for ADHD.
- A fivefold elevated risk for BPD was found in relatives when the child proband had comorbid ADHD and BPD.
- Increased risk for major depression with severe impairment was observed in relatives of ADHD + BPD probands.
- ADHD and BPD co-occurred in relatives more often than expected by chance.
Conclusions:
- Comorbid ADHD and BPD in children represent a familially distinct condition.
- This distinct familial pattern may align with concepts of childhood-onset bipolar disorder.