ADHD is a condition marked by symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity persistent over time, present and causing impairment in at least two contexts, such as in the school and at home. However, the degree to which symptoms are present across situations varies from individual to individual. At one end of the spectrum, children may show severe symptoms in several contexts (that is, pervasive ADHD) while others show severe symptoms only in one context (that is, situational ADHD). What underpins the pervasive and situational manifestations is not well understood, and the impact of pervasive and situational dysfunction on future outcome (such as mental health, occupation, and educational status) needs further investigation. Different underlying mechanisms may relate in specific ways to the degree to which ADHD is expressed pervasively or situationally in the school or home setting. In the current study, we focus specifically on the role of executive functioning (that is, goal-directed behavior), emotion processing, and aspects of the family environment, in this matter. We will examine how pervasive and situational ADHD symptoms evolve over time, mapping possible underlying mechanisms, gender differences, and long-term outcome in a large community sample. The findings will have implications for our understanding of the etiology, maintenance, treatment, and prevention of the diagnosis.

Higher body fatness is a likely cause of heart disease, but how the harms of body fat compare with the potential benefits of body muscle – another metabolically active body compartment – is unclear. This project aims to use data on body scanning and metabolism from ALSPAC parents in mid-life to determine which aspects of body muscle – whether higher volume based on body scanning or higher strength based on hand grip tests – most strongly influence a set of detailed traits related to adult heart disease susceptibility. It also aims to determine how the cardiometabolic profile of body muscle compares with the profile of body fat. Together with results from complementary studies, these results should help clarify which aspects of body composition are most important to target with limited public resources in order to prevent the onset of heart disease.

Neurodevelopmental disorders (such as autism, ADHD, learning disability, and Tic Disorders) are lifelong conditions which begin in childhood and can have significant impacts on physical and mental health, and social well-being across the lifespan.
People with neurodevelopmental disorders have reduced life expectancy than people without such conditions (neurotypicals). Cardiovascular disease (such as heart attacks and strokes) is a significant contributor to this reduced life-expectancy. It is unclear why people with neurodevelopmental disorders are at increased risk of premature cardiovascular disease. Possible explanations include higher levels of cardiovascular risk factors (such as smoking, obesity, and physical inactivity) in people with neurodevelopmental disorders; difficulties in people with neurodevelopmental disorders accessing healthcare; and potentially shared biological mechanisms which contribute to causing both neurodevelopmental disorders and cardiovascular disease (such as over or under active immune systems).

This project aims to improve understanding of the association of neurodevelopmental disorders and cardiovascular disease. We aim to compare rates of cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, body mass index, cholesterol, glucose, insulin, and CRP- a measure of the immune system) and very early cardiovascular disease (as measured by the stiffness of arteries) between young adults (at aged 17 and 24) with neurodevelopmental disorders and without. We predict that young adults with neurodevleopmental disorders will have higher rates of both cardiovascular risk factors and very early cardiovascular disease when compared with neurotypical young adults. If this were to the case it would support a view that people with neurodevelopmental disorders are inherantly at increased risk of cardiovascular disease independent of their access to healthcare and would support policies for screening and early intervention in this group.

Strong associations exist between alcohol consumption and crime, but the extent to which these associations are causal is unclear. One hypothesised explanation is that the pharmacological effects of alcohol reduce cognitive capacity, and risk perception leading to an increased risk of committing a crime while under the influence of alcohol. We propose to examine the extent to which associations detected are causal using data collected at the ALSPAC focus clinic at age 24 years on committing crime while sober (which cannot be due to the situational effects of intoxication) and while under the influence of alcohol. We will examine the effects of alcohol consumption (prevalence, frequency, quantity) on violent and nonviolent crime, compare the association between drinking and engaging in crime while sober to the association between drinking and crime, and investigate whether cognitive factors (such as impulsivity, poor working memory and poor emotion recognition) increase the risk of crime while under the influence of alcohol.

This work sits as part of a larger project to undertake a one sample MR analysis of the relationship between BMI and metabolon metabolite data in the Flemish Gut Fora Project.

The application here is to generate a training set of data for Wenxin (MSc student) from existing ALSPAC metabolon data. The aim here is to randomly select a sub-set of the ALSPAC BMI GRS Metabolon data - not for analytical/inferential worth, but for the purpose of allowing the student to develop scripts and analyses before getting hold fo FGFP data in full.

The proposal here would be fore direct users (included here) to randomly extract a sub-set of ALSPAC Metabolon data, to assign a random amount of error to that data set and to remove any ID reference from that data set. This dummy data set would then be used for the express purpose of understanding the format and nature of Metabolon metabolite data. Dr Hughs, Corbin or PhD student Matt Lee will be able to bring these data together (with a small set of relevant covariables). This should not generate burden for the ALSPAC data team.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic we plan to send two standalone questionnaires out to ALSPAC participants to determine potential transmission (through questions on travel and symptoms) before the peak that is starting in the UK now. Exact content of the questionnaires is to be agreed but will also likely include measures of other symptoms (not just COVID but e.g. seasonal flu, anxiety), mental health (depression, well being), patterns of response to the pandemic (e.g. self isolating, working at home etc) and what indivdual's concerns are (financial, health, etc). We will follow up with our standard annual questionnaire to determine long term impact.

Inflammation has been implicated as a potential mechanism in the development of psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, it is not fully understood whether inflammation causes mental illness, whether behaviours associated with mental illness cause increased inflammation, or whether mental illness and inflammation share common risk factors. This project therefore aims to i) investigate whether genetic risk for psychiatric disorders is associated with inflammation and ii) investigate whether inflammation explains the associations between genetic risk for psychiatric disorders and mental health outcomes in adolescence and early adulthood.
Results of this project will further improve our understanding of the role of inflammation in pathways to mental ill health.

Only a small proportion of pregnant individuals will continue to smoke during their pregnancy. Identifying the key traits which predict this behaviour will allow the development of more efficient screening procedures and interventions for this vulnerable group, improving outcomes for both mother and foetus. While both psychological vulnerabilities (such as depression) and socioeconomic risk factors (such as material deprivation) have been considered individually in their relationship with smoking during pregnancy, the relative importance of psychological versus socioeconomic factors has not been determined. In addition, very few studies have considered the complex inter-relationships between socioeconomic status (SES) and psychological wellbeing, and how these might contribute to smoking in pregnancy. The purpose of the present project is to use the ALSPAC dataset to address these two issues. Pregnant women in this dataset will be classed as either continuing smokers (smoked prior to pregnancy and continued during second and/or third trimesters), quit smokers (smoked prior to pregnancy but not during second or third trimesters), and never smokers (did not smoke prior to pregnancy or during pregnancy). Differences between these groups in psychological variables (depression, anxiety, and experience of stressful events during pregnancy) and socioeconomic variables (educational attainment, financial difficulties and neighbourhood deprivation) will be tested using multiple logistic regression. The second phase of this project will use network outcome analysis to map the complex inter-relationships between psychological and socioeconomic risk factors and smoking in pregnancy. This will allow us to identify the best targets for intervention.

What mothers eat during pregnancy may affect the development of allergy in their babies and children. This study will use data from two cohorts: the Healthy Start cohort and the ALSPAC cohort. The study will learn if a novel comprehensive measure of maternal diet during pregnancy affects development of eczema, food allergy, seasonal allergies/hay fever/allergic rhinitis and asthma in chidden. The new knowledge will help families and clinicians to eventually prevent the onset and progression of allergy.