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| |  Genes Associated with Behavioral Disorders Have Been Identified DUARTE, Calif, May 31, 1996 -- Three different dopaminergic genes have been identified as significantly associated with a spectrum of disorders including Tourette Syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorders and other behaviors such as stuttering. The research, in the current issue of the American Journal of Medical Genetics, is by David E. Comings, M.D., director of City of Hope's Department of Medical Genetics, and associates from the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Loma Linda, Calif. The research indicates that the impact of these genes on these behavioral disorders is additive. That is, their severity increases progressively from individuals with one of these genes to those who carry all three. The researchers examined several hundred Tourette Syndrome patients, relatives and control patients. The statistical correlation of the genes to behavioral problems was strongest for ADHD, stuttering, defiant behavior and tics. Comings, who has published in more than 300 medical journals, operates one of the nation's largest Tourette Syndrome clinics at City of Hope. Tourette Syndrome is an inherited neurological disorder in which the individual often makes chronic, involuntary sounds, including in some cases, foul language, and involuntary body movements, including tics, grimaces and rapid blinking of the eyes. It is associated with a wide range of other behaviors. ADHD is most commonly found among school-age boys. They are easily distracted and have difficulty applying themselves to tasks that require a sustained mental effort. "Our research will not lead to a precise diagnostic test, since there are some people with none of these markers of the three different dopaminergic genes who have Tourette Syndrome or ADHD," said Comings. "What we hope it will lead to is rational study of the causation of the behavioral disorders resulting in some 3 million school-age children with ADHD or Tourette Syndrome. Our results suggest that these syndromes are true neurological disorders, not the result of lack of parental guidance or social deprivations, and that the use of medications that supply dopamine, such as Ritalin, have a rational basis for their use," Comings said. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is one of the world's leading research and treatment centers providing care for patients with serious ailments, including cancer, diabetes and infectious diseases. City of Hope, the largest provider of bone marrow transplantation services in California, is a National Cancer Institute-designated Clinical Cancer Research Center.
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