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Role of ADHD symptoms as a contributing factor to obesity in patients with MC4R mutations

Role of ADHD symptoms as a contributing factor to obesity in patients with MC4R mutations
Role of ADHD symptoms as a contributing factor to obesity in patients with MC4R mutations
Besides the crucial role of genetic susceptibility in the development of early-onset obesity, it has been shown that feeding behavior could contribute to increased body weight. A significant association between obesity/overweight and ADHD has been reported, suggesting that these two conditions, despite their heterogeneity, might share common molecular pathways. Although the co-occurrence of obesity and ADHD is increasingly supported by empirical evidence, the complex pathogenetic link between these two conditions is still unclear. Here, we focus on the relationship between MC4R gene mutations and ADHD in children with early-onset obesity. Mutations in the gene MC4R lead to the most common form of monogenic obesity. We hypothesize that dysregulated eating behavior in a subset of patients with MC4R mutation might be due to comorbid ADHD symptoms, underpinned by abnormal reward mechanisms. Therefore, we speculate that it is possible to prevent obesity in a subset of patients with MC4R mutation, even if these patients are genetically programmed to “be fat”, via an appropriate treatment of ADHD symptoms. We hope that our paper will stimulate further studies testing if the early screening for ADHD symptoms and their appropriate treatment may be an effective way to prevent obesity in a subset of children with MC4R mutation.
0306-9877
4-7
Porfirio, Maria-Cristina
8101be19-251c-4e2e-908a-0540c707fea5
Giovinazzo, Silvia
92fadcb7-023b-4c68-92a9-c7645e1edf30
Cortese, Samuele
53d4bf2c-4e0e-4c77-9385-218350560fdb
Giana, Grazia
00fef5c5-a928-460e-8278-25eeb88346cb
Lo-Castro, Adriana
2fe8e14d-017e-4cb4-b32d-b07d016f2232
Mouren, Marie-Christine
9c60d8ab-fe73-4121-91a8-4522492cd6d5
Curatolo, Paolo
4a177f24-d572-442c-9609-4357d429c27e
Purper-Ouakil, Diane
54755856-1833-44db-9a28-94d78d444688
Porfirio, Maria-Cristina
8101be19-251c-4e2e-908a-0540c707fea5
Giovinazzo, Silvia
92fadcb7-023b-4c68-92a9-c7645e1edf30
Cortese, Samuele
53d4bf2c-4e0e-4c77-9385-218350560fdb
Giana, Grazia
00fef5c5-a928-460e-8278-25eeb88346cb
Lo-Castro, Adriana
2fe8e14d-017e-4cb4-b32d-b07d016f2232
Mouren, Marie-Christine
9c60d8ab-fe73-4121-91a8-4522492cd6d5
Curatolo, Paolo
4a177f24-d572-442c-9609-4357d429c27e
Purper-Ouakil, Diane
54755856-1833-44db-9a28-94d78d444688

Porfirio, Maria-Cristina, Giovinazzo, Silvia, Cortese, Samuele, Giana, Grazia, Lo-Castro, Adriana, Mouren, Marie-Christine, Curatolo, Paolo and Purper-Ouakil, Diane (2015) Role of ADHD symptoms as a contributing factor to obesity in patients with MC4R mutations. Medical Hypotheses, 84 (1), 4-7. (doi:10.1016/j.mehy.2014.11.004).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Besides the crucial role of genetic susceptibility in the development of early-onset obesity, it has been shown that feeding behavior could contribute to increased body weight. A significant association between obesity/overweight and ADHD has been reported, suggesting that these two conditions, despite their heterogeneity, might share common molecular pathways. Although the co-occurrence of obesity and ADHD is increasingly supported by empirical evidence, the complex pathogenetic link between these two conditions is still unclear. Here, we focus on the relationship between MC4R gene mutations and ADHD in children with early-onset obesity. Mutations in the gene MC4R lead to the most common form of monogenic obesity. We hypothesize that dysregulated eating behavior in a subset of patients with MC4R mutation might be due to comorbid ADHD symptoms, underpinned by abnormal reward mechanisms. Therefore, we speculate that it is possible to prevent obesity in a subset of patients with MC4R mutation, even if these patients are genetically programmed to “be fat”, via an appropriate treatment of ADHD symptoms. We hope that our paper will stimulate further studies testing if the early screening for ADHD symptoms and their appropriate treatment may be an effective way to prevent obesity in a subset of children with MC4R mutation.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 6 November 2014
e-pub ahead of print date: 15 November 2014
Published date: 2015
Organisations: Clinical Neuroscience

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 380137
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/380137
ISSN: 0306-9877
PURE UUID: 933a94b5-5d47-4b91-868d-edf3a58416f1
ORCID for Samuele Cortese: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-5877-8075

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 19 Aug 2015 16:17
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:52

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Contributors

Author: Maria-Cristina Porfirio
Author: Silvia Giovinazzo
Author: Samuele Cortese ORCID iD
Author: Grazia Giana
Author: Adriana Lo-Castro
Author: Marie-Christine Mouren
Author: Paolo Curatolo
Author: Diane Purper-Ouakil

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