Susan E Young
University of Colorado School of Medicine, Psychiatry, Faculty Member
Supplemental material, Friedman_Supplemental_Material for Executive Functions and Impulsivity Are Genetically Distinct and Independently Predict Psychopathology: Results From Two Adult Twin Studies by Naomi P. Friedman, Alexander S.... more
Supplemental material, Friedman_Supplemental_Material for Executive Functions and Impulsivity Are Genetically Distinct and Independently Predict Psychopathology: Results From Two Adult Twin Studies by Naomi P. Friedman, Alexander S. Hatoum, Daniel E. Gustavson, Robin P. Corley, John K. Hewitt and Susan E. Young in Clinical Psychological Science
Research Interests: Genetics, Developmental Biology, Juvenile Delinquency, Biotechnology, Adolescent, and 15 moreAntisocial Personality Disorder, Humans, Aggression, Adolescence, Female, Conduct Disorder, EP, Longitudinal Studies, Adult, Disease Progression, Criminal Behavior, Aspd, EXPRESSED EMOTION, Adolescent Behavior, and Age of Onset
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Genetics, Addiction, Behavior Genetics, Assortative Mating, Medicine, and 15 moreAntisocial Personality Disorder, Marriage, Humans, Female, Male, Gender Difference, Drug Addiction, Environmental Effect, Conduct Disorder, Adult, Conduct Problems, Chi Square Distribution, Mate, Control Method, and Medical and Health Sciences
Research Interests: Genetics, Psychology, Personality Assessment, Adolescent, Medicine, and 15 moreHumans, Child, Correlation, Aggression, Female, Male, Heritability, Conduct Disorder, Phenotype, Genotype, Genetic Correlation, Child behavior disorders, Bivariate Analysis, Medical and Health Sciences, and Genetic predisposition to disease
This study describes results from a genome-wide search for quantitative trait loci (QTL) influencing substance dependence vulnerability in adolescence. We utilized regression-based multipoint (and single-point) QTL mapping procedures... more
This study describes results from a genome-wide search for quantitative trait loci (QTL) influencing substance dependence vulnerability in adolescence. We utilized regression-based multipoint (and single-point) QTL mapping procedures designed for selected sibpair samples. Selected sibling pairs included 250 proband-sibling pairs from 192 families. Clinical probands (13-19 years of age) were drawn from consecutive admissions to substance abuse treatment facilities in the Denver metropolitan area; siblings of probands ranged in age from 12 to 25 years. In addition to the selected sample, a community-based sample of 3676 adolescents and young adults were utilized to define a clinically-significant, heritable, age- and sex-normed index of substance dependence vulnerability-a priori and independent of our linkage results. Siblings and their parents were genotyped for 374 STR micro-satellite markers distributed across the 22 autosomes (average inter-marker distance=9.2 cM). Non-parametric single-point linkage results indicated 17 markers on 11 chromosomes with nominally significant tests of linkage; six markers with LOD scores greater than 1.0 and one marker (D3S1614) with a LOD score of 2.2. Multipoint mapping corroborated two locations and provided preliminary evidence for linkage to regions on chromosome 3q24-25 (near markers D3S1279 and D3S1614) and chromosome 9q34 (near markers D9S1826 and D9S1838).
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Genetics, Psychology, Health Psychology, Behavior Genetics, Adolescent, and 15 moreMedicine, Comorbidity, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Environmental Risk, Humans, Colorado, Prevalence, Alcohol Use, Adolescent Behavior, Environment, Neurosciences, Genetic Correlation, Model fitting, Environmental factor, and multivariate analyses
Research Interests: Genetics, Consumption, Adoption, Adolescent, Comparative Study, and 15 moreMedicine, Drug Use, Humans, Alcoholism, Female, Male, Ethanol, Heritability, Genetic determinism, Initiation, Illicit Drugs, Alcohol Use, Archives General Psychiatry, Medical and Health Sciences, and Genetic predisposition to disease
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Genetics, Clinical Psychology, Adolescent, Comorbidity, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and 15 moreChild and Adolescent Psychology, Environmental Effect, American, Conduct Disorder, Clinical Sciences, Alcohol dependence, Antisocial Behavior, Conduct Problems, Five Factor Model, Clinical Study, Attention Deficit, Disinhibition, Adolescent Behavior, Environment, and Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Research Interests: Genetics, Psychiatry, Addiction, Adolescent, Medicine, and 15 moreAntisocial Personality Disorder, Humans, Female, Male, Drug Addiction, Genome, Genetic linkage analysis, Cannabis, Chromosome, Genotype, Antisocial Behavior, Cannabis Dependence, Genetic Markers, Marijuana abuse, and Medical and Health Sciences
This study describes results from an ongoing family study of adolescent boys and their families designed to investigate potential risk factors for substance abuse. The adolescent treatment probands have severe drug and alcohol related... more
This study describes results from an ongoing family study of adolescent boys and their families designed to investigate potential risk factors for substance abuse. The adolescent treatment probands have severe drug and alcohol related problems and were recruited through a residential rehabilitation program. To date, the sample includes 251 individuals: 39 male probands and their families and 34 control families matched for age and geographic location (zip code). Probands and participating family members are given a structured interview which assesses alcohol and drug problems, and various psychiatric symptoms. The purpose of the present study was to examine the coaggregation of depressive symptoms, antisocial behavior, and alcohol misuse. Multivariate pedigree analyses were performed using a model that allowed for the estimation of vertical familial transmission, residual sibling resemblance, and assortative mating. Spouse correlations were estimated at .57, .21, and .31 for antisocial behavior, depressive symptoms, and alcohol abuse, respectively. Residual sibling environment (i.e., sibling resemblance unaccounted for by parent-offspring transmission) was not found for alcohol problem symptoms, but did contribute to resemblance for antisocial behavior and depressive symptoms. The proportion of variance accounted for by vertical familial transmission was estimated at approximately 30 to 40%. More important, correlations among the transmissible family factors for these psychiatric syndromes ranged from .58 to .73, suggesting substantial overlap among the underlying familial antecedents for these disorders.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Psychology, Psychiatry, Adolescent, Medicine, Humans, and 15 moreChild, Substance Abuse, Substance Use, Female, Male, Gender Difference, Nicotine Dependence, Substance Dependence, Prevalence, Alcohol dependence, Questionnaires, Adolescent Behavior, Substance Use Disorder, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, and Medical and Health Sciences
Research Interests: Genetics, Psychology, Behavior Genetics, Adolescent, Medicine, and 15 moreAntisocial Personality Disorder, Humans, Alcoholism, Female, Male, Conduct Disorder, Phenotype, Genotype, Genetic Association, Disinhibition, Likelihood Functions, Neurosciences, Impulsive behavior, alleles, and Genetic predisposition to disease
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Genetics, Clinical Psychology, Adolescent, Medicine, Comorbidity, and 15 moreHumans, Child Sexual Abuse, Child Abuse, Male, American, Conduct Disorder, Genotype, Antisocial Behavior, Age Factors, Indexation, Monoamine oxidase, Cohort Studies, Child behavior disorders, Medical and Health Sciences, and Genetic predisposition to disease
Research Interests: Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Adolescent, Medicine, Humans, and 15 moreFemale, Male, Ethnic Groups, Physiological Response, Colorado, Psychological Tests, Questionnaires, Illicit Drugs, Age Factors, Logistic Models, Predictive value of tests, Marijuana abuse, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, and Medical and Health Sciences
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The research addressed the question of whether relationships exist between personality dimensions, antisocial behavior, and alcohol or other substance misuse (AOSM) in adolescents and in their fathers and mothers, who often also have... more
The research addressed the question of whether relationships exist between personality dimensions, antisocial behavior, and alcohol or other substance misuse (AOSM) in adolescents and in their fathers and mothers, who often also have histories of AOSM. One hundred male adolescents (mean age 15.8 years) entering a residential treatment center for youths with AOSM, their mothers (n = 88, mean age 39.4 years), their fathers (n = 36, mean age 44.9 years), and community controls (n = 100 adolescents, mean age 16.5 years; n = 96 mothers, mean age 43.8 years; n = 87 fathers, mean age 45.9 years) were recruited. All participants completed a personality questionnaire and were interviewed on several measures, including structured interviews for psychopathology and substance misuse. The findings indicated that novelty seeking (NS), one of the personality dimensions, was significantly correlated with substance misuse in adolescent probands, adolescent controls, and proband fathers and mothers, but not in control fathers and mothers. Regression analyses that included conduct disorder (CD) or antisocial personality disorder (APD) symptoms indicated that both NS and CD or APD symptoms made significant contributions to the prediction of substance misuse in treatment group probands and in their fathers and mothers. The findings further suggest that NS and antisocial behaviors contribute independently to substance misuse in severely impaired adolescents and their fathers, but not in their mothers.
Research Interests: Psychology, Personality, Personality Disorders, Adolescent, Fathers, and 15 moreMedicine, Humans, Mothers, Interpersonal Relations, Conduct Disorder, Middle Aged, Questionnaires, Adult, Residential Treatment Recidivism, Exploratory Behavior, Parent‐child Relations, Adolescent Behavior, Predictive value of tests, Severity of Illness Index, and Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Demography, Psychiatry, Adolescent, and 15 moreMedicine, Comorbidity, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Humans, Child, Alcoholism, Female, Male, Alcohol dependence, Adult, Antisocial Behavior, Illicit Drugs, Residential Treatment Care, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, and Medical and Health Sciences
Research Interests: Clinical Psychology, Family, Adolescent, Comorbidity, Family history, and 15 moreAntisocial Personality Disorder, Drug Use, Humans, Female, Male, Conduct Disorder, Colorado, Family Health, Adult, Analysis of Variance, Alcohol Abuse, Chi Square Distribution, Family Study, Case Control Studies, and Medical and Health Sciences
Research Interests: Psychology, Adolescent, Medicine, Comorbidity, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and 15 moreHumans, Regression Analysis, Genome, Phenotype, Prevalence, Genotype, Adult, Quantitative Trait Loci, Adolescent Behavior, Archives General Psychiatry, Drug Dependence, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, Sibling, Medical and Health Sciences, and Genetic predisposition to disease
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Genetics, Developmental Biology, Juvenile Delinquency, Biotechnology, Adolescent, and 15 moreAntisocial Personality Disorder, Humans, Aggression, Adolescence, Female, Conduct Disorder, EP, Longitudinal Studies, Adult, Disease Progression, Criminal Behavior, Aspd, EXPRESSED EMOTION, Adolescent Behavior, and Age of Onset
Nicotine addiction and alcohol dependence are highly comorbid disorders that are likely to share overlapping genetic components. We have examined two neuronal nicotinic receptor subunit genes (CHRNA4 and CHRNB2) for possible associations... more
Nicotine addiction and alcohol dependence are highly comorbid disorders that are likely to share overlapping genetic components. We have examined two neuronal nicotinic receptor subunit genes (CHRNA4 and CHRNB2) for possible associations with nicotine and alcohol phenotypes, including measures of frequency of use and measures of initial subjective response in the period shortly after first using the drugs. The subjects were 1,068 ethnically diverse young adults participating in ongoing longitudinal studies of adolescent drug behaviors at the University of Colorado, representing both clinical and community samples. Analysis of six SNPs in the CHRNA4 gene provided modest support for an association with past 6 month use of alcohol in Caucasians (three SNPs with P < 0.08), but no evidence for an association with tobacco and CHRNA4 was detected. However, a SNP (rs2072658) located immediately upstream of CHRNB2 was associated with the initial subjective response to both alcohol and tobacco. This study provides the first evidence for association between the CHRNB2 gene and nicotine- and alcohol-related phenotypes, and suggests that polymorphisms in CHRNB2 may be important in mediating early responses to nicotine and alcohol.
Research Interests:
This study explores the association between a highly heritable behavioral disinhibition phenotype and the protein kinase C gamma (PRKCG) gene in an ethnically diverse youth sample from Colorado, USA. The rationale for this study was based... more
This study explores the association between a highly heritable behavioral disinhibition phenotype and the protein kinase C gamma (PRKCG) gene in an ethnically diverse youth sample from Colorado, USA. The rationale for this study was based on the impulsive behavior and increased ethanol consumption observed in the protein kinase C gamma (PKC-gamma)-deficient mouse model. Two composite behavioral disinhibition phenotypes and their component behavioral scores [conduct disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), substance experimentation (SUB) and novelty-seeking] were examined for association with five independent PRKCG single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Association analysis for the five individual SNPs revealed modest genetic association of Exon 14 (rs2242244) and Upstream (rs307941) markers with the behavioral disinhibition composite variables in the combined, Hispanic and African-American samples. Additionally, haplotype-based association analysis for two SNPs located in Intron 3 (rs402691) and Exon 6 (rs3745406) indicated a significant overall association of the PRKCG locus with the ADHD-hyperactive subscale scores in the combined and Caucasian samples, supporting the relation between impulsive behaviors and the PRKCG gene. A significant haplotype association was also observed with SUB scores but only in the Hispanic ethnic group, highlighting the marker variability for each ethnic group. In conclusion, our results support the role of the PKC-gamma enzyme in behavioral impulsivity previously observed in mice. This study provides the first exploration of the PRKCG gene and its association with behavioral disinhibition and warrants further study in other larger population samples.
Research Interests: Genetics, Addiction, Adolescent, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Impulsivity, and 15 moreHumans, Haplotypes, Female, Male, Conduct Disorder, Adult, Linkage Disequilibrium, European Continental Ancestry Group, Genetic Association, Exploratory Behavior, Disinhibition, Impulsive behavior, Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity, Gene frequency, and Medical and Health Sciences
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Clinical Psychology, Algorithms, Juvenile Delinquency, Item Response Theory, Adolescent, and 15 moreMedicine, DSM, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Humans, Child, Alcoholism, Female, Male, Conduct Disorder, Colorado, Alcohol dependence, Alcohol Abuse, Diagnostic Criteria, Alcohol use disorder, and Medical and Health Sciences
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Psychiatry, Epidemiology, Adolescent, Medicine, Humans, and 15 moreAlcoholism, Female, Male, Ethnic Groups, Cannabis, Prevalence, Alcohol dependence, Longitudinal Studies, Adult, Longitudinal Study, Educational Status, Cannabis Dependence, Adolescent Behavior, Marijuana abuse, and Medical and Health Sciences
Research Interests: Genetics, Adolescent, Medicine, Humans, Haplotypes, and 15 moreFemale, Male, American, Cannabis, Clinical Sciences, Colorado, Genotype, Single Nucleotide Polymorphism, Linkage Disequilibrium, European Continental Ancestry Group, Cannabis Dependence, Neurosciences, Haplotype, Marijuana abuse, and Interviews as topic
Research Interests: Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Psychiatry, Personality Assessment, Adolescent, and 15 moreMedicine, Comorbidity, Antisocial Personality Disorder, Prospective studies, Humans, Female, Male, Addictive Behaviours, Colorado, Novelty, Longitudinal Study, Addictive Behaviors, Exploratory Behavior, Adolescent Behavior, and Novelty Seeking
Research Interests: Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Adolescent, Medicine, Humans, and 15 moreFemale, Male, Ethnic Groups, Physiological Response, Colorado, Psychological Tests, Questionnaires, Illicit Drugs, Age Factors, Logistic Models, Predictive value of tests, Marijuana abuse, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, and Medical and Health Sciences
Research Interests: Genetics, Psychiatry, Addiction, Adolescent, Antisocial Personality Disorder, and 15 moreHumans, Female, Male, Regression Analysis, Drug Addiction, Genome, Genetic linkage analysis, Chromosome, Genotype, Antisocial Behavior, Quantitative Trait Loci, Genetic Markers, Marijuana abuse, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, and Medical and Health Sciences
Laboratory executive function (EF) constructs, such as response inhibition, are often conceptually linked with self-report measures of impulsivity, yet their empirical correlations are low. We examined, in two twin studies ( ns = 749 and... more
Laboratory executive function (EF) constructs, such as response inhibition, are often conceptually linked with self-report measures of impulsivity, yet their empirical correlations are low. We examined, in two twin studies ( ns = 749 and 761 individuals with EF data), the phenotypic and genetic overlap of three EF latent variables (a Common EF factor predicting response inhibition, working memory updating, and mental set-shifting tasks and Updating- and Shifting-Specific factors) with five impulsivity dimensions (negative and positive urgency, lack of premeditation and perseverance, and sensation seeking). In both samples, impulsivity dimensions were only modestly correlated phenotypically ( rs = −.20–.11) and genetically ( rAs = −.44–.04) with Common EF. In both samples, Common EF and multiple impulsivity dimensions, particularly negative urgency, independently predicted Externalizing psychopathology, and multiple impulsivity dimensions but not Common EF predicted Internalizing psy...
To examine if a substance use disorder (SUD), especially cannabis use disorder in adolescence, predicts future medical cannabis card status among high-risk youth. Data collection occurred in Denver and San Diego. We recruited adolescents,... more
To examine if a substance use disorder (SUD), especially cannabis use disorder in adolescence, predicts future medical cannabis card status among high-risk youth. Data collection occurred in Denver and San Diego. We recruited adolescents, with or at high risk for SUD and conduct problems (hereafter probands) and their siblings (n=654). Baseline (Wave 1) assessments took place between 1999 and 2008, and follow-up (Wave 2) took place between 2010 and 2013. In initial bivariate analyses, we examined whether baseline DSM-IV cannabis abuse/dependence (along with other potential predictors) was associated with possessing a medical cannabis card in young adulthood (Wave 2). Significant predictors were then included in a multiple binomial regression. Self-reported general physical health was also evaluated at both time points. Finally, within Wave 2, we tested whether card status was associated with concurrent substance dependence. About 16% of the sample self-reported having a medical cann...
Research Interests:
In response to a critical need for tobacco cessation services among justice-involved populations, Arkansas Community Correction (ACC) partnered with the University of Colorado's Behavioral Health & Wellness Program in 2013 to... more
In response to a critical need for tobacco cessation services among justice-involved populations, Arkansas Community Correction (ACC) partnered with the University of Colorado's Behavioral Health & Wellness Program in 2013 to implement the DIMENSIONS: Tobacco Free Program within all probation, parole, and drug court units. In the first 2 years of this statewide, evidence-based program, more than 1,100 individuals from 33 ACC area office locations attended tobacco-free group sessions and provided data on tobacco use and readiness to quit. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in tobacco use among participants as well as increased knowledge, confidence, and intent to quit. This study provides some of the first evidence that members of this vulnerable population will attend tobacco-free group sessions with regularity and make progress toward tobacco cessation.
Research Interests:
Previous studies in adolescents were not adequately powered to accurately disentangle genetic and environmental influences on smoking initiation (SI) across adolescence. Mega-analysis of pooled genetically informative data on SI was... more
Previous studies in adolescents were not adequately powered to accurately disentangle genetic and environmental influences on smoking initiation (SI) across adolescence. Mega-analysis of pooled genetically informative data on SI was performed, with structural equation modeling, to test equality of prevalence and correlations across cultural backgrounds, and to estimate the significance and effect size of genetic and environmental effects according to the classical twin study, in adolescent male and female twins from same-sex and opposite-sex twin pairs (N = 19 313 pairs) between ages 10 and 19, with 76 358 longitudinal assessments between 1983 and 2007, from 11 population-based twin samples from the United States, Europe, and Australia. Although prevalences differed between samples, twin correlations did not, suggesting similar etiology of SI across developed countries. The estimate of additive genetic contributions to liability of SI increased from approximately 15% to 45% from age...
Research Interests:
The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities in the United States are disproportionately impacted by smoking, including incidence rates and a lower rate of cessation success. Previous studies have shown that the... more
The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities in the United States are disproportionately impacted by smoking, including incidence rates and a lower rate of cessation success. Previous studies have shown that the emotional impact of social stigma and discrimination have contributed to this pronounced health disparity. Utilising data from three years of quitline callers receiving cessation treatment from National Jewish Health, we examine how LGBT callers differ from straight/heterosexual callers in terms of demographic characteristics, tobacco use history, and the prevalence and consequences of emotional or mental health problems. Findings suggest that the LGBT population begins using tobacco in pre-adolescence at a much higher rate than other quitline callers. The most striking finding is that the LGBT callers report higher rates of mental health issues than other callers. In addition, these individuals feel that their mental health issues negatively impact their a...
Research Interests:
Executive functions (EFs) have been proposed as an endophenotype for psychopathology because EF deficits are associated with most psychiatric disorders. To examine this hypothesis, we derived polygenic risk scores for autism,... more
Executive functions (EFs) have been proposed as an endophenotype for psychopathology because EF deficits are associated with most psychiatric disorders. To examine this hypothesis, we derived polygenic risk scores for autism, attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, major depression (MDD), and schizophrenia, using genome-wide data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium as discovery samples. We then examined the relationships between these polygenic risk scores and three separable EF components measured with a latent variable model. We also examined the relationship between genetic risk for ADHD and MDD and their respective symptom counts and lifetime diagnoses. We found no evidence for larger effect sizes for EFs as endophenotypes for psychiatric disorders. However, larger sample sizes will be important in examining this relationship further.
Research Interests:
To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the DSM-5-defined conduct disorder (CD) with limited prosocial emotions (LPE) among adolescents in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, despite the high rates of CD in this... more
To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the DSM-5-defined conduct disorder (CD) with limited prosocial emotions (LPE) among adolescents in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment, despite the high rates of CD in this population. We tested previously published methods of LPE categorization in a sample of male conduct-disordered patients in SUD treatment (n=196). CD with LPE patients did not demonstrate a distinct pattern in terms of demographics or co-morbidity regardless of the categorization method utilized. In conclusion, LPE, as operationalized here, does not identify a distinct subgroup of patients based on psychiatric comorbidity, SUD diagnoses, or demographics.
Research Interests:
American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have the highest smoking prevalence (29.2%) of any other racial/ethnic group in the United States and lower quit rates. Comprehensive health care services, including commercial tobacco cessation... more
American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) have the highest smoking prevalence (29.2%) of any other racial/ethnic group in the United States and lower quit rates. Comprehensive health care services, including commercial tobacco cessation treatments, are difficult to access for many AI/AN individuals due to poverty, the rural distribution of tribal territories, cultural barriers and the lack of funding for these programs. Due, in part, to these health care gaps, AI/AN communities are disproportionally affected by nicotine dependence and associated chronic medical and psychiatric conditions. We report on data from National Jewish Health that provides telephonic tobacco cessation services for 14 states in the United States. We examine how AI/AN callers who were predominately AI callers differ from their counterparts (i.e., callers identifying as other ethnic groups) in terms of demographic characteristics, commercial tobacco use history, rates of emotional or mental health issues, and rates of chronic illness. Findings from the quitline analyses show a higher rate of preadolescent onset of commercial tobacco use in the AI/AN callers. AI/AN callers are also more likely to live with another commercial tobacco user. Results demonstrate that AI/AN callers are disproportionately impacted by mental health challenges, including high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Similarly, AI/AN callers report more chronic medical issues including diseases of the lungs and cardiovascular system. These findings stress the critical need for tailored efforts to better reach AI/AN commercial tobacco users who are considering treatment, in order to make meaningful gains in commercial tobacco cessation for this vulnerable population. These findings demonstrate the disproportionate impact of commercial tobacco use on the AI/AN population who utilizes quitline services. These data stress the critical need for tailored efforts to better reach AI/AN commercial tobacco users who are considering treatment, in order to make meaningful gains in commercial tobacco cessation for this vulnerable population.
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Genetics, Psychology, Psychiatry, Addiction, Behavior, and 6 moreConsumption, Drug Addiction, Phenotype, Sample, Association, and Allele
The heritability and comorbidity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with conduct disorder (CD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and executive function (EF) deficits were examined in 224 child twins (140 monozygotic... more
The heritability and comorbidity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with conduct disorder (CD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and executive function (EF) deficits were examined in 224 child twins (140 monozygotic and 84 dizygotic). The Coolidge Personality and Neuropsychological Inventory for Children (Coolidge, 1998), a standardized, 200-item, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994) aligned, parent-as-respondent inventory, assessed psychopathology. Structural equation model fitting revealed that the individual scale heritabilities were substantial: .82 for ADHD, .74 for CD, .61 for ODD, and .77 for EF deficits. The results of the multivariate twin analyses suggest that ADHD shares most of its genetic liability with CD, ODD, and EF deficits. Thus, the findings argue for a common biological risk underlying these commonly comorbid externalizing behavior problems and cognitive deficits. The residual genetic variance provides preliminary support for additional genetic influences underlying CD, ODD, and EF that are independent of ADHD.