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Preferential transmission of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist alleles in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Molecular Psychiatry volume 7, pages 72–74 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder, where family data support substantial heritability.1 To date, association studies focussed mainly on genes regulating dopaminergic neurotransmission.2Interleukin-1 (IL-1) activity in the brain has been implicated with differentiation of dopaminergic neurons3,4 and modulation of central monoaminergic reactivity.5 We investigated the role of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) gene variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism,6 in a sample of 86 children with DSM-IV ADHD and their parents. Transmission disequilibrium analysis showed increased transmission of the IL-1Ra 4-repeat allele (χ2 = 4.07, P = 0.04) and decreased transmission of the 2-repeat allele (χ2 = 4.59, P = 0.03) to affected children. The 4-repeat allele was associated with a significantly increased risk for ADHD (χ2 = 4.46, df 1, P = 0.035, RR = 1.292, 95% CI 1.01–1.66). The IL-1Ra 2-repeat allele was associated with a significantly decreased risk for ADHD (χ2 = 4.65, df 1, P = 0.03, RR = 0.763, 95% CI 0.59–0.98). If replicated, this finding may point to a role for brain cytokine activity in the etiopathogenesis of ADHD.

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Acknowledgements

AD and EI are supported by a FIRST grant of the Israeli Academy of Science.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Hadassah–Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    R H Segman & T Goltser

  2. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Hadassah–Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    A Meltzer, S Levy & E Galili-Weisstub

  3. Neuropediatric Unit, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    V Gross-Tsur

  4. Geha Psychiatric Hospital, Petah Tikva and Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel

    A Kosov, A Frisch & A Weizman

  5. Life Sciences Institute, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

    E Inbar & A Darvasi

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  1. R H Segman
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  2. A Meltzer
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  3. V Gross-Tsur
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Correspondence to R H Segman.

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Segman, R., Meltzer, A., Gross-Tsur, V. et al. Preferential transmission of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist alleles in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Mol Psychiatry 7, 72–74 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4000919

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