Not just old wine in new bottles: Polygenic liability for ADHD is associated with electrophysiological affective-motivational processing beyond anxiety, depression, and ODD

Abstract In attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), emotional features account for heterogeneity and exacerbate severity of behavioral and functional impairments, beyond cognitive and comorbidity features. Yet, debate remains about the extent to which, in ADHD, such emotional features are a...

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Main Authors: Kristóf Ágrez, Zsombor Visky, György Hámori, Mária Takács, Attila J. Pulay, János M. Réthelyi, Nóra Bunford
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2025-06-01
Series:Translational Psychiatry
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03434-z
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author Kristóf Ágrez
Zsombor Visky
György Hámori
Mária Takács
Attila J. Pulay
János M. Réthelyi
Nóra Bunford
author_facet Kristóf Ágrez
Zsombor Visky
György Hámori
Mária Takács
Attila J. Pulay
János M. Réthelyi
Nóra Bunford
author_sort Kristóf Ágrez
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), emotional features account for heterogeneity and exacerbate severity of behavioral and functional impairments, beyond cognitive and comorbidity features. Yet, debate remains about the extent to which, in ADHD, such emotional features are a “core feature”, i.e. whether ADHD should be conceptualized as encompassing difficulties with regulating not only activity, attention, and impulses but also processing and regulating emotions. We aimed to address this issue by examining the extent to which in adolescents, ADHD polygenic scores (PGSs) are associated with electrophysiological indices of affective-motivational processing, measured during a monetary punishment/reward feedback paradigm. ADHD PGSs were negatively associated, in n = 166 adolescents (M age = 15.76 years, SD = 1.07; 42.77% girls), with amplitude values of an occipitoparietal event-related potential (i.e. late positive potential) and were positively associated, in n = 84 adolescents (M age = 15.76 years, SD = 1.05; 41.67% girls), with fronto-centro-parietal alpha event-related desynchronization. Across analyses, covariates were anxiety, depression, and ADHD with comorbid disruptive behavior disorder PGSs; ADHD, internalizing, and oppositional defiant disorder severity; childhood maltreatment; current ADHD medication; and baseline values of the outcome. Findings were replicated in sensitivity analyses with blocks of conceptually related covariates entered separately. In adolescents, electrophysiological indices of affective-motivational processing are associated principally with genetic liability for ADHD but not comorbidity genetic liability or comorbidity manifest symptoms.
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spelling doaj-art-c547fad5f855418d9c60a9e1e144cfae2025-08-20T03:27:10ZengNature Publishing GroupTranslational Psychiatry2158-31882025-06-0115111110.1038/s41398-025-03434-zNot just old wine in new bottles: Polygenic liability for ADHD is associated with electrophysiological affective-motivational processing beyond anxiety, depression, and ODDKristóf Ágrez0Zsombor Visky1György Hámori2Mária Takács3Attila J. Pulay4János M. Réthelyi5Nóra Bunford6HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology Research GroupSemmelweis University, Faculty of MedicineHUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology Research GroupHUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology Research GroupSemmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and PsychotherapyHUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology Research GroupHUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Clinical and Developmental Neuropsychology Research GroupAbstract In attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), emotional features account for heterogeneity and exacerbate severity of behavioral and functional impairments, beyond cognitive and comorbidity features. Yet, debate remains about the extent to which, in ADHD, such emotional features are a “core feature”, i.e. whether ADHD should be conceptualized as encompassing difficulties with regulating not only activity, attention, and impulses but also processing and regulating emotions. We aimed to address this issue by examining the extent to which in adolescents, ADHD polygenic scores (PGSs) are associated with electrophysiological indices of affective-motivational processing, measured during a monetary punishment/reward feedback paradigm. ADHD PGSs were negatively associated, in n = 166 adolescents (M age = 15.76 years, SD = 1.07; 42.77% girls), with amplitude values of an occipitoparietal event-related potential (i.e. late positive potential) and were positively associated, in n = 84 adolescents (M age = 15.76 years, SD = 1.05; 41.67% girls), with fronto-centro-parietal alpha event-related desynchronization. Across analyses, covariates were anxiety, depression, and ADHD with comorbid disruptive behavior disorder PGSs; ADHD, internalizing, and oppositional defiant disorder severity; childhood maltreatment; current ADHD medication; and baseline values of the outcome. Findings were replicated in sensitivity analyses with blocks of conceptually related covariates entered separately. In adolescents, electrophysiological indices of affective-motivational processing are associated principally with genetic liability for ADHD but not comorbidity genetic liability or comorbidity manifest symptoms.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03434-z
spellingShingle Kristóf Ágrez
Zsombor Visky
György Hámori
Mária Takács
Attila J. Pulay
János M. Réthelyi
Nóra Bunford
Not just old wine in new bottles: Polygenic liability for ADHD is associated with electrophysiological affective-motivational processing beyond anxiety, depression, and ODD
Translational Psychiatry
title Not just old wine in new bottles: Polygenic liability for ADHD is associated with electrophysiological affective-motivational processing beyond anxiety, depression, and ODD
title_full Not just old wine in new bottles: Polygenic liability for ADHD is associated with electrophysiological affective-motivational processing beyond anxiety, depression, and ODD
title_fullStr Not just old wine in new bottles: Polygenic liability for ADHD is associated with electrophysiological affective-motivational processing beyond anxiety, depression, and ODD
title_full_unstemmed Not just old wine in new bottles: Polygenic liability for ADHD is associated with electrophysiological affective-motivational processing beyond anxiety, depression, and ODD
title_short Not just old wine in new bottles: Polygenic liability for ADHD is associated with electrophysiological affective-motivational processing beyond anxiety, depression, and ODD
title_sort not just old wine in new bottles polygenic liability for adhd is associated with electrophysiological affective motivational processing beyond anxiety depression and odd
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-025-03434-z
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