Genetic aspects of childhood behavioral disorders. 1997

D E Comings
Department of Medical Genetics, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California 91010, USA.

The evidence is reviewed to support the concept that many disruptive, childhood and adolescent behavioral disorders including ADHD, Tourette syndrome, learning disabilities, substance abuse, oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder, are part of a spectrum of inter-related behaviors that have a strong genetic component, are polygenically inherited, share a number of genes in common that affect dopamine, serotonin and other neurotransmitters, and are transmitted from both parents. Some of the implications of this hypothesis in relation to diagnosis and treatment are reviewed, including the possibility that the genes involved may be increasing in frequency.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007360 Intelligence The ability to learn and to deal with new situations and to deal effectively with tasks involving abstractions.
D008297 Male Males
D010375 Pedigree The record of descent or ancestry, particularly of a particular condition or trait, indicating individual family members, their relationships, and their status with respect to the trait or condition. Family Tree,Genealogical Tree,Genealogic Tree,Genetic Identity,Identity, Genetic,Family Trees,Genealogic Trees,Genealogical Trees,Genetic Identities,Identities, Genetic,Tree, Family,Tree, Genealogic,Tree, Genealogical,Trees, Family,Trees, Genealogic,Trees, Genealogical
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002653 Child Behavior Disorders Disturbances considered to be pathological based on age and stage appropriateness, e.g., conduct disturbances and anaclitic depression. This concept does not include psychoneuroses, psychoses, or personality disorders with fixed patterns. Childhood Behavior Disorders,Behavior Disorder, Child,Behavior Disorder, Childhood,Child Behavior Disorder,Childhood Behavior Disorder,Disorder, Childhood Behavior
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D004777 Environment The external elements and conditions which surround, influence, and affect the life and development of an organism or population. Environmental Impact,Environmental Impacts,Impact, Environmental,Impacts, Environmental,Environments
D005260 Female Females
D005879 Tourette Syndrome A neuropsychological disorder related to alterations in DOPAMINE metabolism and neurotransmission involving frontal-subcortical neuronal circuits. Both multiple motor and one or more vocal tics need to be present with TICS occurring many times a day, nearly daily, over a period of more than one year. The onset is before age 18 and the disturbance is not due to direct physiological effects of a substance or another medical condition. The disturbance causes marked distress or significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. (From DSM-IV, 1994; Neurol Clin 1997 May;15(2):357-79) Gilles de la Tourette Disorder,Gilles de la Tourette's Disease,Tic Disorder, Combined Vocal and Multiple Motor,Chronic Motor and Vocal Tic Disorder,Combined Multiple Motor and Vocal Tic Disorder,Combined Vocal and Multiple Motor Tic Disorder,Gilles De La Tourette's Syndrome,Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome,Multiple Motor and Vocal Tic Disorder, Combined,Tourette Disease,Tourette Disorder,Tourette's Disease,Tourette's Disorder,Tourette's Syndrome,Syndrome, Tourette,Tourettes Disease,Tourettes Disorder,Tourettes Syndrome
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man

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