Children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder may fail to benefit from stimulant treatment if they’ve inherited a certain form of the dopamine transporter gene.

Cook Jr., E.H. 1999. The early development of child psychopharmacogenetics. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 38(December):1478.

Winsberg, B.G., and D.E. Comings. 1999. Association of the dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) with poor methylphenidate response. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 38(December):1474.

Bower, B. 1998. Kids’ attention disorder attracts concern. Science News 154(Nov. 28):343.

David E. Comings
City of Hope National Medical Center
Department of Medical Genetics
Duarte, CA 91010

Edwin H. Cook Jr.
University of Chicago
Department of Psychiatry
Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
5841 South Maryland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60637

Bertrand G. Winsberg
Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center
Division of Child Psychiatry and Pediatrics
1 Brookdale Plaza, 12 CHC
Brooklyn, NY 11212

From Science News, Vol. 156, No. 23, December 4, 1999, p. 359. Copyright © 1999, Science Service.