title: A Causal and Mediation Analysis of the Comorbidity Between Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
abstract: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are often comorbid. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships between ASD and ADHD symptoms by applying causal modeling. We used a large phenotypic data set of 417 children with ASD and/or ADHD, 562 affected and unaffected siblings, and 414 controls, to infer a structural equation model using a causal discovery algorithm. Three distinct pathways between ASD and ADHD were identified: (1) from impulsivity to difficulties with understanding social information, (2) from hyperactivity to stereotypic, repetitive behavior, (3) a pairwise pathway between inattention, difficulties with understanding social information, and verbal IQ. These findings may inform future studies on understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms behind the overlap between ASD and ADHD.
authors.affiliation: Radboud University, Postbus 9010, 6500, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. e.sokolova@cs.ru.nl.|Institute for Computing and Information Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. e.sokolova@cs.ru.nl.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sokolova
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.|Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anoek M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Oerlemans
authors.affiliation: Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.|Department of Psychiatry, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nanda N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Rommelse
authors.affiliation: Institute for Computing and Information Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Perry
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Groot
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation (ICPE), University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Catharina A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hartman
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jeffrey C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Glennon
authors.affiliation: Institute for Computing and Information Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Claassen
authors.affiliation: Institute for Computing and Information Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heskes
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.|Karakter Child and Adolescent Psychiatry University Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Buitelaar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D000067877:Autism Spectrum Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology; D013223:Statistics as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior / Q000502:physiology
keywords: ADHD; ASD; Comorbidity; Inattention; Social interaction