Externalizing disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
conduct disorder (CD), and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) have a high prevalence rate in
both children of alcoholics and in those with prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). These disorders
are also predictors of alcohol dependence (alcdep), heritable, and share an underlying genetic
liability with alcdep. Furthermore, a mother who drinks while pregnant is likely to be alcohol
dependent (AD), and vice-versa. This study incorporated these factors into one model, including
as well as a measure of broad genetic risk for ADHD and alcdep to test for the contributions of
these effects simultaneously. An independent sample was used to confirm the results for PAE and
broad genetic risk. The hypothesis is that PAE will increase the risk to ADHD but not to CD or
ODD.
Funding
Defining Translational Approaches for the Image-based Detection of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism