Background
Previous investigations have demonstrated that an MspI polymorphism at the adrenergic
α2A receptor gene (ADRA2A) is associated with severity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) inattentive symptoms in clinical samples composed mainly of subjects
with ADHD, combined type. This study aimed to investigate the association between
this ADRA2A polymorphism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder–inattentive
type (ADHD-I) in a nonreferred sample.
Methods
In a case–control study, we assessed a sample of 100 children and adolescents with
ADHD-I and 100 non-ADHD controls. Cases and controls were matched by gender and age
and were screened by using teacher reports in a revised version of the Swanson, Nolan,
and Pelham rating scale at 12 schools. Psychiatric diagnoses were derived through
structured diagnostic interviews.
Results
Homozygous subjects for the G allele at the ADRA2A had significantly higher odds ratio
(OR) for ADHD-I than did those with other genotypes (CC + CG genotypes), even after
adjusting for potential confounders (p = .02; OR = 3.78; 95% confidence interval = 1.23–11.62). In family-based analyses,
no significant associations were detected.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that the ADRA2A may be associated with ADHD-I, replicating previous
findings from clinical samples that have suggested the importance of this gene for
the dimension of inattention. In addition, these results support the role of the noradrenergic
system in ADHD.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 28, 2006
Accepted:
February 23,
2006
Received:
October 31,
2005
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
