The Characteristics of Alcohol-Dependent Patients with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Clinical and Genetic Data Analysis

Kim, Boong Nyun; Sohn, Ki Hyun; Jeon, Ji Hyun; Kwak, Wook Hwan; You, Hee Jeong; Cho, Soo Churl; Park, Churl Soo

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted to estimate the comorbidity rate of ADHD in a group of patients with alcohol dependency and to find out the characteristics of alcoholic patients with ADHD using the diverse clinical and genetic variables.
METHODS
Eighty five patients with alcohol dependency were recruited from 4 mental hospitals in Kyoung-Nam and Kyoung-Ki province. For the evaluation of ADHD symptoms in both childhood and adulthood, the highly structured Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-IV (DISC-IV)-ADHD module was used. The various standardized scales and questionnaires were also applied to evaluate the comorbid conditions and psychopathological status. All the subjects' blood was collected and genetic study for the polymorphism of DRD2, TH, 5-HTTLPR, COMT, ALDH2 was performed.
RESULTS
1) The comorbid rate of definite ADHD in alcoholic patients was 38% (28/85). 2) The frequency of unmarried status was significantly higher in ADHD group compared non-ADHD group. 3) The onset of pathologic drinking and auditory hallucination was significantly earlier in ADHD group than non-ADHD alcholic group. 4) In ADHD alcoholic group, antisocial behavior was more frequently reported, and the score of co-dependency scale, depression/anxiety, aggression and obsessive compulsive drinking scales were significantly higher compared to non-ADHD alcoholic group. 5) No signficant difference was found in the frequency of polymorphic alleles in COMT, DRD2, 5-HTTLPR, ALDH2, TH between ADHD and non-ADHD alcoholic group.
CONCLUSION
In alcoholic patients, the rate of adult type ADHD was higher than expected rate in general population. The alcoholic patients with ADHD suffered from more sever degree of alcohol dependency and earlier alcohol related problems. ADHD-alcoholic group showed higher diverse comorbid psychopathology and lower marital status compared to non-ADHD-alcoholic group. No difference, however, was found in genetic data between two groups.