Impulsivity as an Endophenotype in ADHD: Negative Findings

Abstract

Impulsivity has a strong genetic component and is considered an endophenotype in many psychiatric disorders. Impulsivity in adult ADHD has become a focus of interest more recently because of its suggested prominence in this age. Objective: This study aimed to access self-reported impulsivity levels in biological parents of ADHD offspring, according to their status: non-ADHD (controls), remitted, nonremitted. Method: Impulsivity levels of 155 parents of ADHD children were compared according to their status using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11). Results: The ADHD group presented the highest levels of impulsivity compared with all other groups. The remitted ADHD and control groups showed no significant differences in impulsivity levels. Conclusion: Impulsivity tended to remit alongside ADHD symptoms in remitters and to persist in those presenting with the residual form of adult ADHD suggesting it should not be considered as an endophenotype. Only the attentional dimension was impaired, cautioning against Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition ( DSM-5) impulsivity proposed criteria.