Personality traits in adults with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and their unaffected first-degree relatives
Valentino Antonio Pironti,
Meng-Chuan Lai,
Ulrich Müller,
Edward Thomas Bullmore,
Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian
Affiliations
Valentino Antonio Pironti
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute (BCNI), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, and Adult ADHD Clinic, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
Meng-Chuan Lai
Autism Research Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, and Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
Ulrich Müller
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, and Adult ADHD Clinic, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
Edward Thomas Bullmore
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute (BCNI), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, and Adult ADHD Clinic, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
Barbara Jacquelyn Sahakian
Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, and MRC/Wellcome Trust Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute (BCNI), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK, and Adult ADHD Clinic, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
Background Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) shows clear, albeit heterogeneous, cognitive dysfunctions. However, personality traits are not well understood in adults with ADHD, and it is unclear whether they are predisposing factors or phenotypical facets of the condition. Aims To assess whether personality traits of impulsivity, sensation seeking and sensitivity to punishment and reward are predisposing factors for ADHD or aspects of the clinical phenotype. Method Twenty adults with ADHD, 20 unaffected first-degree relatives and 20 controls completed rating scales assessing traits of impulsivity, sensation seeking and sensitivity to punishment/reward. Results Compared with relatives and controls, individuals with ADHD showed increased impulsive personality traits, were more susceptible to boredom and presented hypersensitivity to reward but normal sensitivity to punishment. Conclusions High impulsivity traits, heightened sensitivity to reward and boredom are associated with the phenotype of ADHD, rather than being predisposing factors, as these traits were not shared between ADHD probands and their relatives.
