Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25998281›Full record

ArticleThe American journal of psychiatry2015

Is Adult ADHD a Childhood-Onset Neurodevelopmental Disorder? Evidence From a Four-Decade Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Terrie E Moffitt, Renate Houts, Philip Asherson, Daniel W Belsky, David L Corcoran, Maggie Hammerle, HonaLee Harrington, Sean Hogan, Madeline H Meier, Guilherme V Polanczyk and 6 more

Open access · bronzeAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in The American journal of psychiatry, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 222 papers, 19 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
222citing papers in PubMed, 19 pooled it
45.0field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

222 citing papers in PubMed, 19 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 607 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Prevalence of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): systematic review and meta-analysis.European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists · 2024
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  7. Adult-Onset ADHD: A Critical Analysis and Alternative Explanations.Child psychiatry and human development · 2022
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162 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

16 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Terrie E MoffittFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Renate HoutsFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Philip AshersonFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Daniel W BelskyFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
David L CorcoranFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Maggie HammerleFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
HonaLee HarringtonFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Sean HoganFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Madeline H MeierFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Guilherme V PolanczykFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Richie PoultonFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Sandhya RamrakhaFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Karen SugdenFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Benjamin WilliamsFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Luis Augusto RohdeFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Avshalom CaspiFrom the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, the Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, and the Social Science Research Institute, Duke University, Durham, N.C.; the Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London; the Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; the Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe; the Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil; and the Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil.
Duke University · US

Funding

STALLARD Admin Supp: Predicting Future Care Needs and Costs for Individual Medicare Enrollees with Incident Suspected Alzheimer's DiseaseP30AG034424 · NIA · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI SCOTT M. LYNCH · 2009 to 2026
$12.2M
Is mental disorder a preventable cause of age-related disease? The Dunedin Study.R01AG032282 · NIA · DUKE UNIVERSITY · PI CASPI, AVSHALOM, MOFFITT, TERRIE E · 2009 to 2025
$9.5M
Medical Research Council G0100527Medical Research Council G0601483Medical Research Council G9806489Medical Research Council MR/K00381XMedical Research Council MR/K00381X/1NIA NIH HHS AG032282NIA NIH HHS P30 AG034424NIA NIH HHS R01 AG032282
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveDespite a prevailing assumption that adult ADHD is a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder, no prospective longitudinal study has described the childhoods of the adult ADHD population. The authors report follow-back analyses of ADHD cases diagnosed in adulthood, alongside follow-forward analyses of ADHD cases diagnosed in childhood, in one cohort.

methodParticipants belonged to a representative birth cohort of 1,037 individuals born in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1972 and 1973 and followed to age 38, with 95% retention. Symptoms of ADHD, associated clinical features, comorbid disorders, neuropsychological deficits, genome-wide association study-derived polygenic risk, and life impairment indicators were assessed. Data sources were participants, parents, teachers, informants, neuropsychological test results, and administrative records. Adult ADHD diagnoses used DSM-5 criteria, apart from onset age and cross-setting corroboration, which were study outcome measures.

resultsAs expected, childhood ADHD had a prevalence of 6% (predominantly male) and was associated with childhood comorbid disorders, neurocognitive deficits, polygenic risk, and residual adult life impairment. Also as expected, adult ADHD had a prevalence of 3% (gender balanced) and was associated with adult substance dependence, adult life impairment, and treatment contact. Unexpectedly, the childhood ADHD and adult ADHD groups comprised virtually nonoverlapping sets; 90% of adult ADHD cases lacked a history of childhood ADHD. Also unexpectedly, the adult ADHD group did not show tested neuropsychological deficits in childhood or adulthood, nor did they show polygenic risk for childhood ADHD.

conclusionsThe findings raise the possibility that adults presenting with the ADHD symptom picture may not have a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder. If this finding is replicated, then the disorder's place in the classification system must be reconsidered, and research must investigate the etiology of adult ADHD.

Indexed as

AdolescentAdultAttention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityChildFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMaleNeurodevelopmental DisordersNeuropsychological TestsNew ZealandPrevalenceProspective Studies

Identifiers

PMID25998281
PMCPMC4591104
OpenAlexW2131518354

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.