Working out the genetic risk for ADHD
Evidence for ADGRL3 in ADHD risk had already been stacked against it -- common variants of the gene predispose people to ADHD and predict severity of the disorder. The study, led by Dr. Maximilian Muenke of the National Human Genome Research Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, brings scientists closer to understanding how ADGRL3 contributes to risk by providing functional evidence that implicates a transcription factor in the pathology of the disorder. According to first author Dr. Ariel Martinez, the study is an effort to address limitations of existing ADHD medications that don't work for all patients, and develop new medication targeting the protein encoded by the ADGRL3 gene. "In this new era of genomics and precision medicine , the key to success lies in dissecting genetic contributions and involving some level of patient stratification," Martinez said. The researchers analyzed the ADGRL3 genomic region in 838 people, 372 of whom were diagnosed with ADHD. Varian...