Introduction
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent children neurodevelopmental diseases. It is typically identified during childhood and frequently persists into maturity. This essay aims to answer the research question, Is ADHD a genetic or fake psychological disorder? Some justifications for ADHD as a genetic disorder are syndromic diseases, such as Klinefelter syndrome, Williams’s dysfunction, and tuberous sclerosis, frequently manifest ADHD-like behavior.
Additionally, there is a connection between the DRD4 gene and ADHD, as well. Household, adoption, and twin investigations demonstrate a genetic link with ADHD. Lastly, genome-wide linkage analyses uncover chromosomal regions that may harbor ADHD genes. Some critics argue that ADHD is a factitious disorder due to the evolving societal setting. However, the constructs utilized to conclude the above notion were ineffective in establishing a relationship between the community and ADHD; thus, this concern is unfounded.
Syndromic Diseases Manifest ADHD-Like Behavior
Syndromic illnesses typically exhibit ADHD-typical conduct, including Klinefelter syndrome, Williams’s dysfunction, fragile X hyperthyroidism, and tuberous sclerosis. Grimm et al. utilized the following ways to demonstrate that ADHD is genetic (2). To assess the viability of measuring the biological significance and heritability of ADHD, Grimm et al. adopted a traditional approach involving twin studies (2). According to the evaluation of the twin studies by Grimm et al., 77–88% of ADHD is inherited (2). Furthermore, genome-wide sophisticated trait interpretation examines numerous people for hundreds of thousands of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), indicating SNP-based heredity.
Grimm et al. determined that SNP-based inheritance (h2 SNP = 22%) for ADHD in trials with lesser respondents was equivalent to prior predictions of h2 SNP, 10–28%) (2). Therefore, there remains a fraction of heredity that justifies the discrepancy between the roughly 74% heritability in twin studies and the 22% linkage predicated on SNPs (Grimm et al. 2).
In their investigation of 909 parent-child pairings with ADHD-affected offspring, Grimm et al. found that the alleles glucose-fructose oxidoreductase domain-containing 1 (GFOD1) and cadherin 13 (CHD13) are strongly associated with ADHD (2). Calcium-dependent ligand binding protein encoded by the CDH13 gene impacts cerebral formation and neuroplasticity. CDH13 is an intriguing potential biomarker for ADHD based on these discoveries and data from earlier connection studies linking it to conditions such as psychosis, bipolar disorder, and melancholy.
Relationship between the DRD4 Gene and ADHD
Secondly, there exists a direct correlation between DRD4 gene and ADHD. Hamza et al. provided a relationship between the DRD4 gene and ADHD. The DRD4 gene is located on the 11p15.5 region of chromosome 11. The D4 transmitter binds dopamine and noradrenaline. Hamza et al. insinuated that most research has been on a parameter number tandem repetition mutation in exon III of the gene (656). The amount of repeats varies between 2 and 11, and various communities have distinct alleles. Hamza et al.’s vitro studies suggested that this genotype is operational, as the 7-repeat allele lowers the receptor’s capability to bind dopamine (656). The first meta-analysis of the DRD4 gene in ADHD revealed a substantial connection between the 7-repeat allele with ADHD in case-control and family-based investigations (OR =1.9, 95% CI = 1.4-2.2; OR =1.4, 95% CI = 1.1-1.6).
Moreover, recent research by Hamza et al. showed the connection between ADHD and case reports (OR=1.45, 95% CI 1.27-1.65) and family-based analyses (OR=1.16, 95% CI 1.27-1.33) remained significant. Hamza et al. analyzed 33 association studies and got considerable proof that the 7-repeat allele is related to ADHD (P=2 1012, OR=1.34, 95% CI 1.34-1.44) (657). In addition, they discovered that the 5-repeat allele imparts a higher risk for ADHD (P=0.005, OR=1.68, 95% CI 1.17-2.41) and that the 4-repeat genotype has a defensive function (P=0.004, OR=0.90, 95% CI 0.84-0.97). Therefore, the research by Hamza et al. is quantitative evidence that ADHD is genetic.
Household, Adoption, and Twin Investigations Demonstrate Genetic Link with ADHD
Thirdly, family, foster, and twin studies show a hereditary connection with ADHD. Faraone and Henrik used a combination of family, adoption, and twin studies to establish a relationship between ADHD and genetics. Faraone and Henrik’s survey of 894 ADHD relatives of individuals and 1135 of their 5–17-year-old siblings revealed a nine-fold more significant risk of ADHD in children of ADHD gene polymorphisms relative to siblings of standards (562). Adoption researches indicate that family characteristics of ADHD are influenced by genetic components rather than shared contextual elements.
Adoptive relations shared the same risk for ADHD as cousins of toddlers in the control group. Twin studies concentrated on the contrast between the within-pair commonalities of genetically related monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs and dizygotic (DZ) twins, who, on estimation, share 50% of their recombination alleles (Faraone and Henrik 562). The average heritability of ADHD or indicators of inattention and impulsivity across 37 twin studies was 74% (Faraone and Henrik 562). In a study of MZ and DZ twins, complete relatives, and paternal and maternal half-siblings, a comparable inheritance value of roughly 80% was found (Faraone and Henrik 563).
The heredity of the inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive components of ADHD was identical in both sexes. Few of the twin studies presented used quantitative ADHD assessments. Predictions of heredity ranged from 77% to 88%, commensurate with the greater number of studies employing symptomatic count assessments of ADHD (Faraone and Henrik 562). Multiple twin studies have investigated whether ADHD is best understood as a discrete or extreme continuous feature. These findings are congruent with clinical research demonstrating the hereditary nature of the clinical assessment of subthreshold ADHD.
Genome-Wide Linkage Uncovers Chromosomal Regions Harboring ADHD Genes
Thapar performed genome-wide linkage investigations to identify chromosomal areas that may contain genes for ADHD. This method evaluated several DNA markers across the chromosome to see whether ADHD family households share genetic polymorphisms more frequently than anticipated. Three areas, 5p12, 10q26, 12q23, and 16q13, showed some indication of connection and limit of detection (LOD) scores of O1.5 in a study of 126 afflicted sib-pairs in the United States (Thapar 945). A larger sample size of 203 families revealed the highest LOD rating of 4 for the 16p13 locus, formerly associated with ADHD.
An analysis of 164 Dutch afflicted sib-pairs found a previously recognized breakpoint in ADHD at 15q15, with a peak LOD score of 3.5. The LOD scores for two more peaks, located at 7p13 and 9q33, were 3.0 and 2.1, correspondingly. 8q12, 11q23, 4q13, 17p11, 12q23, and 8q23 were detected by a genome-wide survey of individuals from a Colombian genetically uncontacted tribe (Thapar 945). Although pooled assessments of other scholars indicate that the genetic makeup of the different demographics is quite distinguishable and that the absence of consistent observations is a result of this variation between population diversity, they did identify a correlation region (5p13) that may represent a known risk domain.
Transforming Civilization
However, some critics argue that symptoms of ADHD are easily imitated, mainly in the context of the changing society, thus a fake psychological disorder. Over the past few years, the cultural background has evolved significantly, with increased family separation, different priorities for children, a faster pace, and a more sophisticated society (Thomas). Therefore, ADHD symptoms are a worldwide systemic reaction to these developments. Essentially, this is a sociocultural interpretation of ADHD manifestations. The issue is not with children but the civilization that has developed around them. Children are the most susceptible individuals in society and are most likely to react poorly when the community becomes dysfunctional (Thomas). In this situation, the fractured, multifaceted, and demanding societal environment is to blame, not ADHD. In this scenario, a diagnosis of ADHD is a method of victim-blaming.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the essay indicates that ADHD is a genetic condition. Typically, syndromic conditions, such as Klinefelter syndrome, Williams’s dysfunction, fragile X hyperthyroidism, and tuberous sclerosis, manifest ADHD-like behavior. Moreover, the DRD4 gene in ADHD demonstrated a significant association between the 7-repeat allele and ADHD. In addition, genome-wide linkage analyses reveal chromosomal regions that may include ADHD-related genes. The investigation within the essay has illustrated that malingerers can duplicate positive scores on a scale evaluating infancy and clinical signs, calling into doubt the scientific plausibility of ADHD as a genetic condition. However, the scales utilized in concluding were ineffective at reducing false positives. In light of the overwhelming meta-analytical evidences offered in this paper, the assumption that ADHD is a fictitious mental disorder is therefore invalid.
Works Cited
Faraone, Stephen V., and Henrik Larsson. “Genetics of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.” Molecular Psychiatry, vol. 24, no. 4, 2019, pp. 562-575. Web.
Grimm, Oliver, Thorsten M. Kranz, and Andreas Reif. “Genetics of ADHD: What should the Clinician Know?” Current Psychiatry Reports, vol. 22, no. 4, 2020, pp. 1-8. Web.
Hamza, Meriem, et al. “Epigenetics and ADHD: Toward an Integrative Approach of the Disorder Pathogenesis.” Journal of Attention Disorders, vol. 23, no. 7, 2019, pp. 655-664. Web.
Thapar, Anita. “Discoveries on the Genetics of ADHD in the 21st Century: New Findings and their Implications.” American Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 175, no. 10, 2018, pp. 943-950. Web.
Thomas, Armstrong. “17 Reasons Why I Believe ADHD is Not a Legitimate Medical Disorder.” YouTube. Uploaded by Thomas Armstrong. 2019. Web.