Early Life Neurodevelopmental Indicators of Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder at Age 10: A Prospective Cohort Study
5 affiliations
- 1Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC) Copenhagen University Hospital—Herlev and Gentofte Copenhagen Denmark
- 2Center for Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CNSR), and Centre for Clinical Intervention and Neuropsychiatric Schizophrenia Research (CINS), Mental Health Center Glostrup Copenhagen University Hospital—Amager and Hvidovre Copenhagen Denmark
- 3Child and Adolescent Mental Health Center Copenhagen University Hospital—Mental Health Services CPH Copenhagen Denmark
- 4Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine Copenhagen University Hospital—Herlev and Gentofte Herlev Denmark
- 5Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
Abstract
Aim: Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder associated with long‐term adverse outcomes, yet diagnosis often occurs years after symptoms first emerge. Because ADHD involves impairments across multiple developmental domains, early deviations in language, cognition, motor development and behavioural regulation may indicate later risk before core ADHD symptoms can be reliably assessed. However, previous studies have often relied on questionnaires or registry data rather than objective early‐life assessments combined with later clinical ADHD diagnosis and genetic risk.
Methods: We studied 590 children from the prospective COPSAC2010 birth cohort to examine associations between neurodevelopmental measures from birth to age 3 and clinical ADHD diagnosis and trait manifestations at age 10. Associations were analysed using adjusted logistic and linear regression models, and ADHD polygenic risk scores were examined in relation to early neurodevelopment and later ADHD outcomes.
Results: ADHD at age 10 was associated with lower word production (OR 0.69 [0.48; 0.95] 0.028), shorter sentence length (OR 0.71 [0.56; 0.88] 0.003), reduced cognitive functioning (OR 0.96 [0.93; 0.99] 0.025) and more behavioural/emotional problems (OR 1.05 [1.00; 1.09] 0.034) in early life.
Conclusion: Early language, cognitive and behavioural/emotional difficulties may serve as indicators of later ADHD and support earlier identification of vulnerable children.
Related
- Changes in parent-rated attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom scores and sleep parameters during individualized multidisciplinary clinical management in children with comorbid obstructive sleep apnea: a prospective cohort study in Vietnam
- Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder polygenic risk score and incidence of cognitive impairment in older adults: A prospective multicohort study
- Network analysis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder traits and mental health indicators in Brazilian adults
- Cardiovascular effects of methylphenidate, risperidone, and their combination in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a prospective 3-month observational study
- Screen time and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BibTeX
@article{grube2026early,
title = {{Early Life Neurodevelopmental Indicators of Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder at Age 10: A Prospective Cohort Study}},
author = {Camilla Grube and María Hernández‐Lorca and Julie Rosenberg and Kristina Aagaard and Michael Widdowson and Tingting Wang and Nilo Vahman and Hanne Lunn Nissen and Jens Richardt Møllegaard Jepsen and Klaus Bønnelykke and Bjørn H. Ebdrup and Bo Chawes and Rebecca K. Vinding},
journal = {Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1111/apa.70696},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.70696},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Early Life Neurodevelopmental Indicators of Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder at Age 10: A Prospective Cohort Study
AU - Camilla Grube
AU - María Hernández‐Lorca
AU - Julie Rosenberg
AU - Kristina Aagaard
AU - Michael Widdowson
AU - Tingting Wang
AU - Nilo Vahman
AU - Hanne Lunn Nissen
AU - Jens Richardt Møllegaard Jepsen
AU - Klaus Bønnelykke
AU - Bjørn H. Ebdrup
AU - Bo Chawes
AU - Rebecca K. Vinding
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/20
JO - Acta Paediatrica (Oslo, Norway : 1992)
DO - 10.1111/apa.70696
UR - https://doi.org/10.1111/apa.70696
AB - Aim: Attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder associated with long‐term adverse outcomes, yet diagnosis often occurs years after symptoms first emerge. Because ADHD involves impairments across multiple developmental domains, early deviations in language, cognition, motor development and behavioural regulation may indicate later risk before core ADHD symptoms can be reliably assessed. However, previous studies have often relied on questionnaires or registry data rather than objective early‐life assessments combined with later clinical ADHD diagnosis and genetic risk. Methods: We studied 590 children from the prospective COPSAC2010 birth cohort to examine associations between neurodevelopmental measures from birth to age 3 and clinical ADHD diagnosis and trait manifestations at age 10. Associations were analysed using adjusted logistic and linear regression models, and ADHD polygenic risk scores were examined in relation to early neurodevelopment and later ADHD outcomes. Results: ADHD at age 10 was associated with lower word production (OR 0.69 [0.48; 0.95] 0.028), shorter sentence length (OR 0.71 [0.56; 0.88] 0.003), reduced cognitive functioning (OR 0.96 [0.93; 0.99] 0.025) and more behavioural/emotional problems (OR 1.05 [1.00; 1.09] 0.034) in early life. Conclusion: Early language, cognitive and behavioural/emotional difficulties may serve as indicators of later ADHD and support earlier identification of vulnerable children.
SN - 0803-5253
SN - 1651-2227
ER -