Here's the latest release which links attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to alcohol and drug problems later in life.
"Children with ADHD are believed to be at risk for alcoholism because of their impulsivity and distractibility, as well as other problems that often accompany ADHD such as school failure and behavior problems," explained Brooke Molina, associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of Pittsburgh, and corresponding author for both studies.
This research study is purely a statistical analysis and does not look at underlying genetic factors, other than inheritance. However, it is my feeling that the "distractibility" discussed here is a selective genetic component attributed dopamine production and/or uptake in the brain.
The interesting thing about this study, however, is the indication that alcohol abuse begins around age 15 in kids with ADHD. Curiously, the report makes no mention of the fact that this is right around the time when most adolescents with ADHD are weaned off their meds; and isn't this when all teens begin experimenting with alcohol? But then again, this is only a statistical analysis.
