Recent twin studies suggest that childhood disruptive disorders have a substantial genetic component. One limitation of these findings is that they provide only an abstract and general characterization of these genetic influences. Molecular genetic studies are being conducted in an effort to find genetic risk factors that represent specific casual mechanisms underlying childhood disorders. Recent studies have reported association and linkage between a number of candidate genes in the dopaminergic system and childhood ADHD. Although these studies represent a useful beginning to finding genes that contribute to the risk for childhood disruptive disorders, at present we know very little regarding the complex relations between such genes and these disorders. The candidate proposes training and development in the allied areas of statistical and molecular genetics and developmental neuroscience that will provide a foundation for examining these complex relations in his research. In the proposed study, I will build on the extant findings in this burgeoning research domain by examining four specific aims regarding the association and linkage between children s disruptive disorders and DNA markers and candidate genes that code for various aspects of neurotransmitter function. First, I will test for association and linkage between a number of candidate genes and children s disruptive disorders. Second, I will examine heterogeneity in association and linkage of candidate genes with disruptive disorders due to the characteristics of the disorders, participants, and their environments. Third, I will use lab measures of executive functions to help find association and linkage with the disruptive disorder phenotypes, and as endophenotypic mechanisms to test whether they mediate the relations between candidate genes and childhood disruptive disorders. Finally, I will collect data from sibling pairs to prepare for a genome scan that will examine linkage between DNA markers and disruptive disorders. The development and training component will include mentorship by experts in the areas of statistical and molecular genetics and developmental neuroscience and psychopathology, as well as related coursework. This training will be applied in a molecular genetic study of disruptive disorders, sampling 400 clinic-referred children and their families, that will address the specific aims above. The proposed training program will help the candidate become an independent researcher in the burgeoning area of the molecular genetics of childhood psychopathology. The proposed study will increase substantially our understanding of specific genetic influences on the childhood disruptive disorders.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Scientist Development Award - Research & Training (K01)
Project #
5K01MH001818-03
Application #
6538286
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZMH1-CRB-H (01))
Program Officer
Wynne, Debra K
Project Start
2000-04-01
Project End
2005-03-31
Budget Start
2002-04-01
Budget End
2003-03-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$136,093
Indirect Cost
Name
Emory University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
042250712
City
Atlanta
State
GA
Country
United States
Zip Code
30322
Cabassa, Leopoldo J; Lewis-Fernández, Roberto; Wang, Shuai et al. (2017) Cardiovascular disease and psychiatric disorders among Latinos in the United States. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 52:837-846
Park, Yunsoo; Waldman, Irwin D (2014) Influence of the COMT val(108/158)met polymorphism on continuous performance task indices. Neuropsychologia 61:45-55
Gizer, Ian R; Waldman, Irwin D (2012) Double dissociation between lab measures of inattention and impulsivity and the dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) and dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4). J Abnorm Psychol 121:1011-23
Lahey, Benjamin B; Rathouz, Paul J; Applegate, Brooks et al. (2010) Psychometrics of a self-report version of the Child and Adolescent Dispositions Scale. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 39:351-61
Harrington, Kelly M; Waldman, Irwin D (2010) Evaluating the utility of sluggish cognitive tempo in discriminating among DSM-IV ADHD subtypes. J Abnorm Child Psychol 38:173-84
Singh, Amber L; Waldman, Irwin D (2010) The etiology of associations between negative emotionality and childhood externalizing disorders. J Abnorm Psychol 119:376-88
Tackett, Jennifer L; Waldman, Irwin D; Lahey, Benjamin B (2009) Etiology and measurement of relational aggression: A multi-informant behavior genetic investigation. J Abnorm Psychol 118:722-33
Gizer, Ian R; Waldman, Irwin D; Abramowitz, Ann et al. (2008) Relations between multi-informant assessments of ADHD symptoms, DAT1, and DRD4. J Abnorm Psychol 117:869-80
Lahey, Benjamin B; Applegate, Brooks; Chronis, Andrea M et al. (2008) Psychometric characteristics of a measure of emotional dispositions developed to test a developmental propensity model of conduct disorder. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 37:794-807
Lahey, Benjamin B; Rathouz, Paul J; Van Hulle, Carol et al. (2008) Testing structural models of DSM-IV symptoms of common forms of child and adolescent psychopathology. J Abnorm Child Psychol 36:187-206

Showing the most recent 10 out of 22 publications