Don’t blame the parents, ADHD is in our genes

IT IS a controversial condition often blamed on bad parenting. But now, according to scientists, it appear that hyperactivity may be in our genes.

People with certain genetic traits are up to 19 per cent more likely to have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, researchers have found.

In Britain, 400,000 children are believed to have the condition, which can reveal itself in impulsiveness and an inability to finish tasks.

It also affects one in 25 adults and scientists who scanned the genes of more than 20,000 people with the problem identified 12 genes which may help cause it.

The findings could remove stigma for parents of children with the condition, which can be wrongly dismissed as bad behaviour caused by lack of discipline.

Professor Anders Borglum, of the centre for Integrative Psychiatric Research in Denmark, said: ‘We all carry genetic risk variants for ADHD – the more we have, the greater our risk for developing it.

‘These novel and completely unexpected genetic variations provide a completely new window to understanding the biology behind ADHD and could help develop new and better drugs to treat it in children and adults.’

The genes found are also linked to smoking and having more children at a younger age. The study, published in the journal Nature Genetics, suggests that may be because people with ADHD take more risks, which could mean having unprotected sex at an early age.