Twin Studies: Genetics May Explain Adult ADHD, Alcohol Abuse, Binge Eating

Symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adulthood are strongly associated with alcohol use problems and binge eating disorder, and genes may explain much of the overlap, according to results from twin studies presented in a doctoral thesis at Linköping University, Sweden.1 The findings are the first to support a genetic basis for a link between adult ADHD and binge eating disorder. Results also suggested that the genetic overlap between ADHD and these disorders were similar in women and men, and applied across a range of alcohol use problems, from mild to more severe. However, environment is probably also important. The findings showed that maltreatment in childhood may contribute to ADHD symptoms in adulthood. “Clinically, the results of this thesis support that ADHD in adults be considered and addressed in adults with substance use disorder or binge-eating behaviour. Given the common genetic risk factors and the role of the early childhood environment, family interventions should be considered for these populations,” wrote author Andrea Johansson Capusan, PhD, of Linköping University, Sweden. Past studies have reported higher prevalence of ADHD in adults with substance use disorder, compared to the general population. Likewise, research has suggested that binge eating disorder and ADHD are comorbid.