Response Inhibition and ADHD Traits: Correlates and Heritability in a Community Sample

Abstract

Endophenotypes or intermediate phenotypes are of great interest in neuropsychiatric genetics because of their potential for facilitating gene discovery. We evaluated response inhibition, latency and variability measures derived from the stop task as endophenotypes of ADHD by testing whether they were related to ADHD traits in the general population, heritable and shared genetic risk with ADHD traits. Participants were 16,099 children and adolescents, ages 6 to 18 years who visited a local science center. We measured ADHD traits using the Strengths and Weaknesses of ADHD-symptoms and Normal-Behavior (SWAN) rating scale and performance on the stop signal task (SST)—response inhibition (SSRT), response latency (GoRT), and response variability (GoRTSD). Regression analysis was used to assess the relationship of cognitive measures and ADHD traits while controlling for family, age, sex, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and treatment status. Heritability of ADHD and cognitive traits was estimated using SOLAR in 7,483 siblings from 3,507 families that included multiple siblings. Bivariate relationships between pairs of variables were examined. Individuals with greater ADHD trait scores had worse response inhibition, slower response latency, and greater variability. Younger participants and girls had inferior performance although the gender effects were minimal and evident in youngest participants. Inhibition, latency, variability, total ADHD traits, inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity scores were significantly heritable. ADHD traits and inhibition, but not latency or variability were coheritable. In the largest study in the general population, we found support for the validity of response inhibition as an endophenotype of ADHD.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10802-012-9693-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Adolescent impatience decreases with increased frontostriatal connectivity

“…In particular, we investigated individual differences in the SSRT (77). This measure of impulse control is known to show developmental increases across adolescence (78), and with impulse control disorders, such as ADHD (79,80), pathological gambling (81), and substance dependence (82). Importantly, some investigators argue that there is common neurocognitive component that underlies SSRT, delay discounting, and other measures of impulse control (83)(84)(85).…”

Neuroanatomic and cognitive abnormalities in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the era of ‘high definition’ neuroimaging

“…Improved resolution will provide greater individual subject delineation of these networks and more precisely formulated testable hypotheses. For example, a large community sample of siblings revealed that motor inhibition on the stop task is coheritable with dimensional ratings of ADHD [19]. Determining the heritability of the structural and functional connectivity of the right IFC and anterior insula in the HCP sample would set the stage for future studies of affected probands and siblings in ADHD.…”

Is Clinical Anxiety a Risk or a Protective Factor for Executive Functioning in Youth with ADHD? A Meta-regression Analysis

“…As for ADHD, the idea is that, e.g., behavioral manifestations of the disorder such as impulsivity and hyperactivity are largely driven by difficulties in EFs such as attentional control (i.e., "paying attention and staying on task"; Nigg 2006), response inhibition (i.e., "the ability to stop a previously prepared response"; Nigg 2006) and working memory (i.e., "maintaining the amount of information online and to activate some information over other" ;Nigg 2006). Indeed, deficits in several EFs have been identified in individuals with ADHD, and, at this point in time, research continues to affirm cognitive deficits involved in the etiology of ADHD (Burgess et al 2010;Crosbie et al 2013;Kofler et al 2010;Sarver et al 2015;Tillman et al 2011). Perhaps predictably, emerging empirical studies concerned with investigations of the cooccurrence of ADHD and ADs have been mainly directed at the assessment of EFs in these comorbid populations.…”