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. 2023 Mar;53(2):143-153.
doi: 10.1007/s10519-022-10128-5. Epub 2022 Dec 9.

Associations Between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptom Dimensions and Disordered Eating Symptoms in Adolescence: A Population-Based Twin Study

Zeynep Yilmaz  1   2   3   4 , Mary J Quattlebaum  5 , Pratiksha S Pawar  6 , Laura M Thornton  3   4 , Cynthia M Bulik  3   4   7 , Kristin N Javaras  8   9 , Shuyang Yao  4 , Paul Lichtenstein  4 , Henrik Larsson  4   10 , Jessica H Baker  11
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Associations Between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptom Dimensions and Disordered Eating Symptoms in Adolescence: A Population-Based Twin Study

Zeynep Yilmaz et al. Behav Genet. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Although bivariate associations between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and eating disorders in adolescent girls and boys have been previously identified, the mechanistic link underlying the symptom-level associations remains unclear. We evaluated shared genetic and environmental influences on ADHD symptoms and disordered eating in 819 female and 756 male twins from the Swedish TCHAD cohort using bivariate models. Common additive genetic and unique environmental effects accounted for majority of ADHD and disordered eating associations in a differential manner. For girls, the strongest genetic correlation was observed for cognitive/inattention problems-bulimia (0.54), with genetic factors accounting for 67% of the phenotypic correlation. For boys, the strongest genetic correlations were observed for conduct problems-bulimia and hyperactivity-bulimia (~ 0.54), accounting for 83% and 95% of the phenotypic correlation, respectively. As per our findings, the risk of comorbidity and shared genetics highlights the need for preventative measures and specialized treatment for ADHD and disordered eating in both sexes.

Keywords: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; Disordered eating; Genetics; Population cohort; Sex differences; Symptom-level associations; Twin study.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

KNJ owns equity shares in Sanofi and Centene Corporation. CMB is a Scientific Advisory Board member for Shire, serves as a consultant for Idorsia (consultant), is an author with and royalty recipient from Pearson, and is on the Clinical Advisory Board of Equip Health Inc. HL reports receiving grants from Shire Pharmaceuticals, personal fees from and serving as a speaker for Medice, Shire/Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Evolan Pharma AB, and sponsorship for a conference on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder from Shire/Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Evolan Pharma AB. All other authors report no financial interests or potential conflicts of interest.

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