"There is no single gene or small set of genes that reliably predict whether someone will have ADHD," says Peter Jensen, MD, in the winter 2023 issue of ADDitude magazine. "Moreover, the specific genes that put one individual at risk for ADHD may differ from those found in another person with ADHD."
This relatively recent discovery in the world of ADHD has focused renewed attention on epigenetics, or the study of how environment and experiences affect a human’s development in an enduring way — actually altering regions of their DNA.
"Genes do not solely determine an individual’s fate," says Joel Nigg, PhD, a clinical psychologist and a professor in the departments of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Oregon Health & Science University. "While genes may make someone more prone to certain diseases or disorders, including ADHD, the entire genetic system is highly dynamic and responsive to input. This means it’s possible to change the expression of a person’s ‘ADHD genes’ by making certain environmental changes."
Cutting-edge epigenetic research is underway now, working to answer fundamental questions such as: Which genes might predispose a child to develop ADHD if they also experience exposure to prenatal and perinatal tobacco smoke or a stressful environment? Can we offset or dampen the influence of genes by changing an individual’s environment, and at what period during development?
"The last 25 years have shown huge advances in our understanding of gene influences on mental health disorders, the way certain environmental factors may exert large effect sizes on the presentation of symptoms over time, and the way the environment could actually change our gene expression over time depending on what stressors or protective factors we are facing," says David Anderson, PhD, of the Child Mind Institute, in the video embedded above. "There are many, many genes that could play a role in defining risk for ADHD, and those genes are shared with many other mental health conditions."
For more information on ADHD genetics and epigenetics, watch the full replay of Anderson’s free ADDitude webinar, "ADHD Then and Now: How Our Understanding Has Evolved."
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