3-202 - What variation in executive functioning tells us about ADHD: Insights from twin and longitudinal studies

Session Type: Paper Symposium

Integrative Statement

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex pathogenesis. Executive functioning deficits frequently co-occur with ADHD and are thought to signal an underlying biological liability. However, executive functioning is multi-faceted and it has been challenging to identify what aspects of executive functioning are associated with risk for ADHD. Four papers tackle this question from different perspectives. The first paper differentiates shared and unique components of executive functioning and processing speed; they argue that it is the shared variance between processing speed and executive functioning that provide the best predictive information for ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders. Our second paper examines the heritability of neuropsychological profiles within a large, representative twin sample; they find unique profiles of cognitive impairment and heritability patterns associated with subsets of children who have ADHD. Finally, turning towards how deficits in executive functioning emerge and impact ADHD symptoms, both our third and fourth papers take a longitudinal approach to examine the mediating role of executive functioning deficits in a developmental pathway from early risk in infancy to behavioral symptoms in childhood and adolescence. Together these papers use sophisticated and powerful approaches to identify way that executive functioning deficits are linked to risk for and emergence of ADHD symptoms.

Sub Unit

• Developmental Disabilities

Chair

• Natalie Miller, University of Maryland, College Park

Individual Presentations

• Executive Functions and Processing Speed: Same or Different? - Presenting Author: Lauren McGrath, University of Denver; Non-Presenting Author: Bruce Pennington, University of Denver; Non-Presenting Author: Erik Willcutt, University of Colorado, Boulder

• Heritability of Neuropsychological Subtypes in ADHD - Presenting Author: Anne Bernard Arnett, University of Washington; Non-Presenting Author: Lauren McGrath, University of Denver; Non-Presenting Author: Erik Willcutt, University of Colorado, Boulder

• From Early Risk via Cognitive Endophenotypes to ADHD in Adolescence - Presenting Author: Tzlil Einziger, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Non-Presenting Author: Yael Zilberman-Hayun, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Non-Presenting Author: Naama Atzaba-Poria, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Non-Presenting Author: Judith Auerbach, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev; Non-Presenting Author: Andrea Berger, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience

• Investigation of a developmental pathway from infant anger reactivity to childhood ADHD symptoms: inhibitory control as mediator - Presenting Author: Natalie Miller, University of Maryland, College Park; Non-Presenting Author: Amie Hane, Williams College; Non-Presenting Author: Kathryn A. Degnan, Catholic University of America; Non-Presenting Author: Nathan Fox, University of Maryland; Non-Presenting Author: Andrea Chronis-Tuscano, University of Maryland, College Park