Authors: Narun Pat; Lucy Riglin; Richard Anney; Yue Wang; Deanna Barch; Anita Thapar; Argyris Stringaris · Research
How Do Genes, Motivation, and Cognitive Abilities Work Together to Influence Mental Health in Children?
Research reveals how genetic risk for mental health conditions relates to psychological traits and cognitive abilities in children
Source: Pat, N., Riglin, L., Anney, R., Wang, Y., Barch, D., Thapar, A., & Stringaris, A. (2022). Motivation and cognitive abilities as mediators between polygenic scores and psychopathology in children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 61(6), 782-795. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2021.08.019
What you need to know
- Genetic risk for depression and ADHD influences children’s mental health through different psychological pathways
- Children with genetic risk for depression tend to be more sensitive to punishment, while those with ADHD risk are more sensitive to rewards
- Lower cognitive abilities contribute to mental health challenges for children with genetic risks for both conditions
The Connection Between Genes and Behavior
Have you ever wondered why mental health conditions sometimes run in families? While we know genes play a role, the pathway between our genetic makeup and psychological wellbeing isn’t straightforward. New research is helping us understand how genetic factors influence behavior through their effects on motivation and thinking abilities.
How Genes Affect Mental Health
Scientists can now measure genetic risk for various mental health conditions by looking at many small variations in DNA. These genetic “risk scores” help predict who might be more likely to develop certain conditions. This study found that genetic risk for depression and ADHD was linked to a broader range of mental health challenges in children.
Different Paths to Problems
The researchers discovered that genetic risk works through different psychological pathways. Children with genetic risk for depression tend to be more sensitive to punishment and negative feedback. Meanwhile, those with genetic risk for ADHD are more responsive to rewards and positive reinforcement. Both groups showed some difficulties with cognitive abilities like memory, attention and problem-solving.
The Role of Cognitive Abilities
Lower cognitive abilities emerged as an important common factor linking genetic risk to mental health challenges. This suggests that supporting cognitive development could be especially beneficial for children with genetic vulnerabilities. The researchers found that cognitive difficulties were particularly connected to behavioral problems and developmental challenges.
What This Means for You
If your child has a family history of depression or ADHD, understanding these pathways can help guide prevention and support:
- For children with depression risk, help them develop healthy ways to handle criticism and setbacks
- For those with ADHD risk, create structured reward systems while avoiding over-stimulating environments
- Focus on building cognitive skills through educational support and brain-training activities
- Remember that genetic risk doesn’t guarantee problems - supportive environments make a big difference
Conclusions
- Genetic risk for mental health conditions operates through specific psychological pathways involving motivation and thinking abilities
- Different conditions involve different pathways - depression links to punishment sensitivity while ADHD connects to reward sensitivity
- Supporting cognitive development may help protect children with genetic vulnerabilities