Researchers find genetic irregularities in children with ADHD

By Staff Writer

A recent study provides new information on the development of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children.

As reported by MyHealthNewsDaily.com, a study published in The Lancet claims that kids with ADHD are missing certain sections of their genetic code, and other sections are repeated. The research is one of the first projects to distinguish genetic variations associated with ADHD.

The genetic abnormality may explain why children who have ADHD struggle to pay attention and display impulsive and restless behavior.

"Too often, people dismiss ADHD as being [caused by] bad parenting or poor diet. As a clinician, it was clear to me that this was unlikely to be the case," the study's author said in a statement. "Now we can say with confidence that ADHD is a genetic disease and that the brains of children with this condition develop differently to those of other children."

Researchers found that some of the overlapped sections of DNA in children with ADHD are similar to the repeated patterns discovered in individuals who have schizophrenia and autism.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that up to 7 percent of American children suffer from ADHD.