The Estonian Biobank (EstBB) is a large volunteer-based biobank, representing 20% of Estonia’s adult population. Linked to national electronic health records, it allows to study millions of genetic variants alongside up to 20 years of health data from over 212,000 participants. This provides a unique opportunity to uncover how genetics is associated with health outcomes.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often underdiagnosed in adults, meaning its prevalence in health records is typically lower than expected. However, ADHD is linked to various physical health problems, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. These risks may be also prominent for individuals who are unaware of their ADHD and therefore remain untreated.
ADHD has a strong genetic component, with heritability estimated at 70–80%. This means people with a high genetic predisposition to ADHD are at greater risk for both ADHD symptoms and related health problems. In a recent study using data from EstBB, we explored the medical histories of individuals without an ADHD diagnosis but with a high genetic liability to the condition.
Our research identified 80 health conditions reliably associated with high genetic liability to ADHD. For example, individuals with the highest genetic risk compared to individuals with the lowest genetic risk were:
- 70% more likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- 60% more likely to have obesity
- 45% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes
These findings suggest that even in people without an ADHD diagnosis but with high genetic predisposition for it, the associated health risks are present.
The study highlights the need to improve ADHD screening and management in adults, especially in women, who may not fit traditional ADHD profiles. Early recognition and treatment could help reduce the risk of several physical health problems and improve overall life expectancy for affected individuals.
We are now working on the next project, in which we zoom into adult ADHD symptoms, their underlying genetics and health implications. We hope to finalize this exciting paper soon, so stay tuned!
This post was provided by Research Group led by Dr. Kelli Lehto at Estonian Biobank, University of Tartu.
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