2025-09-17 12:00:00 -0400 EDT

Genome-wide association meta-analysis of childhood ADHD symptoms and diagnosis identifies new loci and potential effector genes

We performed a genome-wide association meta-analysis of 290,134 attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom measures from 70,953 unique individuals across multiple raters, ages and instruments. The combined analysis identified 39 independent loci, of which 17 were new. Using a recently developed gene-mapping method, Fine-mapped Locus Assessment Model of Effector genes, we identified 22 potential ADHD effector genes implicating several new biological processes and pathways. Moderate negative genetic correlations were observed with multiple cognitive traits. Polygenic scores derived from the combined analysis outperformed scores based on symptoms or diagnosis alone across three independent cohorts.