1
|
Cabana-Domínguez J, Bosch R, Soler Artigas M, Alemany S, Llonga N, Vilar-Ribó L, Carabí-Gassol P, Arribas L, Macias-Chimborazo V, Español-Martín G, Del Castillo C, Martínez L, Pagerols M, Pagespetit È, Prat R, Puigbó J, Ramos-Quiroga JA, Casas M, Ribasés M. Dissecting the polygenic contribution of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder on school performance by their relationship with educational attainment. Mol Psychiatry 2024:10.1038/s41380-024-02582-w. [PMID: 38783053 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-024-02582-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are strongly associated with educational attainment (EA), but little is known about their genetic relationship with school performance and whether these links are explained, in part, by the genetic liability of EA. Here, we aim to dissect the polygenic contribution of ADHD and ASD to school performance, early manifestation of psychopathology and other psychiatric disorders and related traits by their relationship with EA. To do so, we tested the association of polygenic scores for EA, ADHD and ASD with school performance, assessed whether the contribution of the genetic liability of ADHD and ASD to school performance is influenced by the genetic liability of EA, and evaluated the role of EA in the genetic overlap between ADHD and ASD with early manifestation of psychopathology and other psychiatric disorders and related traits in a sample of 4,278 school-age children. The genetic liability for ADHD and ASD dissected by their relationship with EA show differences in their association with school performance and early manifestation of psychopathology, partly mediated by ADHD and ASD symptoms. Genetic variation with concordant effects in ASD and EA contributes to better school performance, while the genetic variation with discordant effects in ADHD or ASD and EA is associated with poor school performance and higher rates of emotional and behavioral problems. Our results strongly support the usage of the genetic load for EA to dissect the genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of ADHD and ASD, which could help to fill the gap of knowledge of mechanisms underlying educational outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Judit Cabana-Domínguez
- Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa Bosch
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
- SJD MIND Schools Program, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - María Soler Artigas
- Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology, and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Silvia Alemany
- Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Llonga
- Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology, and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Vilar-Ribó
- Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pau Carabí-Gassol
- Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology, and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lorena Arribas
- Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Valeria Macias-Chimborazo
- Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gemma Español-Martín
- Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Clara Del Castillo
- SJD MIND Schools Program, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Laura Martínez
- SJD MIND Schools Program, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Mireia Pagerols
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
- SJD MIND Schools Program, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- Department of Clinical Foundations, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Èlia Pagespetit
- SJD MIND Schools Program, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain
| | - Raquel Prat
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
- SJD MIND Schools Program, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- Sport and Physical Activity Research Group, Mental Health and Social Innovation Research Group, Centre for Health and Social Care Research (CEES), Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya (UVic-UCC), Vic, Spain
| | - Julia Puigbó
- SJD MIND Schools Program, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Josep Antoni Ramos-Quiroga
- Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miquel Casas
- SJD MIND Schools Program, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
- Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
- Fundació Privada d'Investigació Sant Pau (FISP), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Ribasés
- Psychiatric Genetics Unit, Group of Psychiatry, Mental Health and Addiction, Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Department of Mental Health, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.
- Biomedical Network Research Centre on Mental Health (CIBERSAM), Madrid, Spain.
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology, and Statistics, Faculty of Biology, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Schmengler H, Oldehinkel AJ, Vollebergh WAM, Pasman JA, Hartman CA, Stevens GWJM, Nolte IM, Peeters M. Disentangling the interplay between genes, cognitive skills, and educational level in adolescent and young adult smoking - The TRAILS study. Soc Sci Med 2023; 336:116254. [PMID: 37751630 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2023.116254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that smoking and lower educational attainment may have genetic influences in common. However, little is known about the mechanisms through which genetics contributes to educational inequalities in adolescent and young adult smoking. Common genetic liabilities may underlie cognitive skills associated with both smoking and education, such as IQ and effortful control, in line with indirect health-related selection explanations. Additionally, by affecting cognitive skills, genes may predict educational trajectories and hereby adolescents' social context, which may be associated with smoking, consistent with social causation explanations. Using data from the Dutch TRAILS Study (N = 1581), we estimated the extent to which polygenic scores (PGSs) for ever smoking regularly (PGSSMOK) and years of education (PGSEDU) predict IQ and effortful control, measured around age 11, and whether these cognitive skills then act as shared predictors of smoking and educational level around age 16, 19, 22, and 26. Second, we assessed if educational level mediated associations between PGSs and smoking. Both PGSs were associated with lower effortful control, and PGSEDU also with lower IQ. Lower IQ and effortful control, in turn, predicted having a lower educational level. However, neither of these cognitive skills were directly associated with smoking behaviour after controlling for covariates and PGSs. This suggests that IQ and effortful control are not shared predictors of smoking and education (i.e., no indirect health-related selection related to cognitive skills). Instead, PGSSMOK and PGSEDU, partly through their associations with lower cognitive skills, predicted selection into a lower educational track, which in turn was associated with more smoking, in line with social causation explanations. Our findings suggest that educational differences in the social context contribute to associations between genetic liabilities and educational inequalities in smoking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Schmengler
- Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
| | - Albertine J Oldehinkel
- Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center of Groningen, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Wilma A M Vollebergh
- Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - Joëlle A Pasman
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Sweden
| | - Catharina A Hartman
- Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center of Groningen, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Ilja M Nolte
- Department of Epidemiology, University Medical Center of Groningen, University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Margot Peeters
- Department of Interdisciplinary Social Science, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|