ADHD and autism have similarities in behavior and chromosome location, but are distinct conditions. Researchers found both conditions are located on chromosome 16, which may predispose a person to develop either or both conditions, but environmental factors also play a role.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism are conditions that are typically diagnosed in childhood, although adults also have these conditions. ADHD and autism are separate and distinct conditions, but researchers have found that there are some connections or similarities between these conditions. For example, the connections between ADHD and autism relate specifically to similarities in some of the behaviors exhibited and similarity in their chromosome location.
While there are differences between the two conditions, there are similarities as well. Both autistic and ADHD children may exhibit tantrums or disturbance in their actions, and there may be inappropriate giggles, laughter, interruptions, or talking. There may be little eye contact or the child may not listen to instructions. The child may be impulsive or may appear to make careless mistakes frequently. There will be inconsistencies or problems in fine and gross motor skills.
Because researchers are now more knowledgeable about genetics than they used to be, they are able to look for information related to the genetic cause of various conditions. This type of research gets to the heart of how and why conditions occur from a physical perspective. In a study published in the American Journal of Human Genetics, researchers found that despite the fact that ADHD and autism differ, they are actually both found on chromosome 16.
At first, it wasn’t fully understood how chromosome 16 might be involved in both ADHD and autism because, while there are similarities, there are also marked differences in the outward display of symptoms in each condition. Subsequently, some researchers have thought that genes are not necessarily always specific to a single diagnosis. In other words, they thought that a gene could potentially predispose a person to develop a number of conditions instead of just one condition. They thought it was possible that chromosome 16 predisposes a person to ADHD, autism, or any of several conditions, instead of chromosome 16 being predictive of only one condition.
Of note, although researchers have found that autism and ADHD are located at the location of chromosome 16, researchers continue to suspect that environmental factors are also involved in these conditions. For example, they believe that environment affects the expression of chromosome 16 and plays a role in whether a person will have ADHD or autism. Research into this issue is ongoing, and researchers are making an effort to further determine the nature of the interaction between genetics and the environment related to ADHD and autism.
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