Prenatal Risk Factors and the Etiology of ADHD —Review of Existing Evidence

This article provides an update of research investigating the relationship between prenatal risk factors and ADHD published over the past 3  years. Recently, several epidemiological and data linkage studies have made substantial contributions to our understanding of this relationship. In particular, these studies have started to account for some of the genetic and familial confounds that, when taken into account, throw several establis hed findings into doubt. None of the proposed prenatal risk factors can be confirmed as causal for ADHD, and the stronger the study design, the less likely it is to support an association. We need a new benchmark for studies investigating the etiology of ADHD whereby there is an expectation not only that data will be collected prospectively but also that the design allows the broad range of genetic and familial factors to be accounted for.
Source: Current Psychiatry Reports - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research