3 ms·

Browsing ClinVar for ADHD-related variants shows that most of the correlations are very weak. That is to say, you can have several of these variants and your ch

Browsing ClinVar for ADHD-related variants shows that most of the correlations are very weak. That is to say, you can have several of these variants and your chances of having ADHD are only marginally increased. There is no “ADHD gene”. Contrary to what this headline might imply, genetics aren’t diagnostic for ADHD. This is the challenge with communicating genetic testing results: People frequently get their test results, go searching for a specific condition like ADHD, find a couple variants linked to ADHD, and assume it’s proof that they have ADHD. The truth is that when there are 27 variants linked to ADHD, chances are very good that everyone who goes looking will have at least one of these variants. That does not mean they have ADHD, though. The article also buries this seemingly important point that the variants studied were also heavily correlated with psychiatric disorders in general: > Bivariate Gaussian mixture modeling estimated that 84–98% of ADHD-influencing variants are shared with other psychiatric disorders. When the correlation approaches 98% I’m confused as to why they chose ADHD as the headline instead of psychiatric conditions in general? I suspect they know that ADHD headlines are trending right now while psychiatric conditions and depressive disorders haven’t been normalized in the same way in social media and pop culture in 2023.

s1gnp0st 4y ago
I also find this "gene for X" idea troubling. Suppose there are genetic factors that drive increased susceptibility to an environmental factor, for example. Biology is a complex interaction not easily reduced to single-step causal narrative.
- reilly3000 4y ago
  I suppose it’s a consequence of cheap DNA sequencing flooding the market. Especially without any “genetic counseling” or other services to help them draw realistic conclusions about their data, it’s only natural that most would have a poor mental model for the nuances of genetic expression.
treeman79 4y ago
My mom has adhd. I have it. My kids have. My sister has it. Her kids have it. Her grandkids. I’m talking full blow ADHD. Actual diagnosis
- hobs 4y ago
  And we could say "oh this spate of cancer victims in this area must all be genetically related" until we find major chemical spills poisoned the ground water. Correlation is not causation.
  - reilly3000 4y ago
    Oh yes, but this particular mutation has been discovered at least 100,000 years ago and has been shown in anthropology throughout most societies. It is relatively new in this post-industrial hellscape that we pathologize and punish it.
- reilly3000 4y ago
  Not only is this my experience as well, it represents the massive heritability of it and other disorders. Some studies have shown neurodivergence in 80% of offspring with 2 neurodivergent parents. Another amazing study recently revealed that neurodivergent friendships and romantic partners are 11X more likely to be with a fellow neurodivergent vs neurotypical person. It is theorized it comes down to patterns of behavior and communication- “she gets me like nobody else”.
  - staticman2 4y ago
    "Another amazing study recently revealed that neurodivergent friendships and romantic partners" Neurodivergent, as far as I know, is not a medical term. Did this study use that term?
    - reilly3000 4y ago
      "Neurodivergent" is an umbrella term which describes a cluster of neurological disabilities with similar associated traits and experiences. See below: "Neurodiversity" embraces and celebrates these traits as valuable in the right context. These are the diagnosis's and related traits that tend to cluster (50-80% cooccurrence in many!) ADHD Autism Spectrum Disorder ADHD Anxiety Bipolar Creativity Depression Diet Dyslexia Dysgraphia EDS (wobbly joints) Executive Dysfunction Gender expression Giftedness Gastrointestinal issues Insomnia OCD Pattern Recognition PTSD Sensory Processing Disorders Social Communication Disorder Tourette's & Tic Disorders However diagnostic criteria and practice is weak and varied, and has been based on a mental model where its a physical difference in rear brain mass and shape. This article highlights the complexity: https://www.planetneurodivergent.com/is-comorbid-specific-enough-to-describe-conditions-co-occurring-with-autism/ https://www.planetneurodivergent.com/is-comorbid-specific-en... Neurodivergence in context: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1308646 https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1308646 Older metanalysis of comorbidities: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1750946721000349?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S17509... The research is coming hot and heavy with new brain scans, DNA, and physical diagnosis rather than mental. We will see a new diagnosis class within the next 5 years. Females, "normalish"-passing, and limited health access have only recently started to influence the data. We're in the midst of a revolution around how this is understood, and an emerging community of people that never could connect before because of social difficulties. Heady times, friends.
bookofjoe 4y ago
The title of the original Nature Genetics paper does the same thing: >Genome-wide analyses of ADHD identify 27 risk loci, refine the genetic architecture and implicate several cognitive domains
cosmojg 4y ago
> The truth is that when there are 27 variants linked to ADHD, chances are very good that everyone who goes looking will have at least one of these variants. That does not mean they have ADHD, though. Yes! And vice versa. Lacking one of these variants doesn't mean you don't have ADHD.

s1gnp0st 4y ago

I also find this "gene for X" idea troubling. Suppose there are genetic factors that drive increased susceptibility to an environmental factor, for example. Biology is a complex interaction not easily reduced to single-step causal narrative.

reilly3000 4y ago
I suppose it’s a consequence of cheap DNA sequencing flooding the market. Especially without any “genetic counseling” or other services to help them draw realistic conclusions about their data, it’s only natural that most would have a poor mental model for the nuances of genetic expression.

treeman79 4y ago

My mom has adhd. I have it. My kids have. My sister has it. Her kids have it. Her grandkids. I’m talking full blow ADHD. Actual diagnosis

hobs 4y ago
And we could say "oh this spate of cancer victims in this area must all be genetically related" until we find major chemical spills poisoned the ground water. Correlation is not causation.
- reilly3000 4y ago
  Oh yes, but this particular mutation has been discovered at least 100,000 years ago and has been shown in anthropology throughout most societies. It is relatively new in this post-industrial hellscape that we pathologize and punish it.
reilly3000 4y ago
Not only is this my experience as well, it represents the massive heritability of it and other disorders. Some studies have shown neurodivergence in 80% of offspring with 2 neurodivergent parents. Another amazing study recently revealed that neurodivergent friendships and romantic partners are 11X more likely to be with a fellow neurodivergent vs neurotypical person. It is theorized it comes down to patterns of behavior and communication- “she gets me like nobody else”.
- staticman2 4y ago
  "Another amazing study recently revealed that neurodivergent friendships and romantic partners" Neurodivergent, as far as I know, is not a medical term. Did this study use that term?
  - reilly3000 4y ago
    "Neurodivergent" is an umbrella term which describes a cluster of neurological disabilities with similar associated traits and experiences. See below: "Neurodiversity" embraces and celebrates these traits as valuable in the right context. These are the diagnosis's and related traits that tend to cluster (50-80% cooccurrence in many!) ADHD Autism Spectrum Disorder ADHD Anxiety Bipolar Creativity Depression Diet Dyslexia Dysgraphia EDS (wobbly joints) Executive Dysfunction Gender expression Giftedness Gastrointestinal issues Insomnia OCD Pattern Recognition PTSD Sensory Processing Disorders Social Communication Disorder Tourette's & Tic Disorders However diagnostic criteria and practice is weak and varied, and has been based on a mental model where its a physical difference in rear brain mass and shape. This article highlights the complexity: https://www.planetneurodivergent.com/is-comorbid-specific-enough-to-describe-conditions-co-occurring-with-autism/ https://www.planetneurodivergent.com/is-comorbid-specific-en... Neurodivergence in context: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1308646 https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1308646 Older metanalysis of comorbidities: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1750946721000349?via%3Dihub https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S17509... The research is coming hot and heavy with new brain scans, DNA, and physical diagnosis rather than mental. We will see a new diagnosis class within the next 5 years. Females, "normalish"-passing, and limited health access have only recently started to influence the data. We're in the midst of a revolution around how this is understood, and an emerging community of people that never could connect before because of social difficulties. Heady times, friends.

bookofjoe 4y ago

The title of the original Nature Genetics paper does the same thing: >Genome-wide analyses of ADHD identify 27 risk loci, refine the genetic architecture and implicate several cognitive domains

cosmojg 4y ago

> The truth is that when there are 27 variants linked to ADHD, chances are very good that everyone who goes looking will have at least one of these variants. That does not mean they have ADHD, though. Yes! And vice versa. Lacking one of these variants doesn't mean you don't have ADHD.