Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders of childhood. Worldwide, 3-12% of children are affected with the disorder, whose symptoms include age-inappropriate hyperactive and impulsive behaviour and/or a reduced ability to focus attention. ADHD has classically been viewed as a disorder of children, but the majority of patients carries ADHD symptoms, or even the full ADHD-diagnosis, into adulthood. This leads to social and professional problems and is associated with considerable costs.
Converging evidence suggests that ADHD aetiology has a robust genetic component. The heritability of the adult form of ADHD appears even higher than that of children. With the adult form of ADHD being the most severe one, focusing on the genetics of ADHD in adults can be expected to guide future research in this challenging field. For that reason, a group of researchers focusing on the genetics of adult ADHD decided to pool their efforts in the International Multicentre persistent ADHD CollaboraTion (IMpACT), investigating the largest clinical ADHD sample worldwide. Dr. Barbara Franke, Ph.D., who is coordinating this promising research project, will present the latest findings in the identification of risk genes for ADHD. She will explain how the findings of IMpACT may help to define targets for the development of new and more effective treatments for ADHD, and also contribute to early disease prevention.
