Project description
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder causal mechanisms
Adult ADHD diagnoses are rising, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic. This trend raises questions about whether adult symptoms reflect childhood ADHD or are connected to other mental health conditions. The ERC-funded AT-TENSION project aims to search for answers. Specifically, it will combine psychology, genomics, and data science. It will conduct a genome-wide study of adult ADHD features using large biobanks and assess the influence of environmental factors, including stress and lifestyle, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the project will develop a screening tool for more accurate detection of adult ADHD, leveraging machine learning and genetic data. The findings will enhance mental health assessments through genomics.
Objective
The world is witnessing a sharp rise in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnoses, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. While historically considered a childhood neurodevelopmental disorder, an increasing number of adults are now seeking help for impairing ADHD-like features like inattention, disorganization, restlessness, impulsivity, forgetfulness and emotional dysregulation. Strikingly little is known about the mechanisms causing specific adult ADHD features, raising a key question: Are adult ADHD features truly the same as childhood ADHD, or do they rather reflect other mental conditions with overlapping symptoms? Substantial phenotypic overlap of mental health conditions and lack of precise screening tools make accurate detection of adult ADHD extremely challenging and error prone. Modern mental health care critically needs advanced, biology-informed methods to differentiate mental conditions with greater accuracy.
AT-TENSION combines psychology, genomics and data science to dissect the causal mechanisms underlying adult ADHD features and to propose an innovative framework for genomics-informed screening tool development. We will (i) determine diverse genetic mechanisms and causal links with other mental conditions by conducting a pioneering genome-wide investigation of specific adult ADHD features across five large biobanks; (ii) quantify the impact of diverse environmental factors like stress, lifestyle and COVID-19 pandemic on adult ADHD features across life stages and genders; (iii) develop and test a novel genomics-informed screening tool for more accurate ADHD detection in adults by using machine learning and genomics. The goals are achieved by innovatively combining three large-scale data layers: self-reported, electronic health records and genetic data. AT-TENSION aims to redefine our current conceptualization of adult ADHD and revolutionize mental health psychometrics by integrating genomics into screening tool development.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
51005 Tartu
Estonia
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.