Where your DNA places you among other people, and the studies behind it.
Not tailored to your result, and not medical advice
Establish Structured Routines: Consistent daily routines reduce the cognitive load of executive function demands. Use calendars, timers, and task-management tools to externalize planning and organization. Breaking tasks into smaller steps improves follow-through and reduces overwhelm. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics
Prioritize Regular Aerobic Exercise: Moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise (30+ minutes, 4-5 times per week) has been shown to improve attention, executive function, and impulse control in individuals with ADHD. Exercise increases dopamine and norepinephrine levels - the same neurotransmitters targeted by ADHD medications. Frontiers in Psychology (meta-analysis)
Optimize Sleep Hygiene: Sleep disturbances affect up to 75% of individuals with ADHD and worsen attention and impulse control. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, limit screen exposure before bed, and address any underlying sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome or delayed sleep phase syndrome. World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics (2025 review)
Consider Professional Evaluation: If you experience persistent difficulties with attention, organization, time management, or impulse control, consider a formal evaluation by a psychiatrist or psychologist. A proper assessment distinguishes ADHD from the many other things that affect focus, such as sleep debt, anxiety, or thyroid problems, and that distinction is what makes any support plan useful. National Institute of Mental Health
Support Nutritional and Omega-3 Intake: Some evidence suggests that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation (EPA/DHA) may modestly improve ADHD symptoms, particularly in individuals with low baseline omega-3 levels. A balanced diet rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, and micronutrients (iron, zinc, magnesium) supports optimal neurotransmitter function. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
How much of this is genetic?
Genetics explains 74% of why people differ in this trait. The rest is environment, daily habits and chance.
Heritability estimate: Faraone & Larsson 2019, Mol Psychiatry
Background and further reading
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that interferes with everyday functioning. It affects roughly 5% of children and about 2.5% of adults [1]. The DSM-5 recognizes three presentations - predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined - and a person's presentation can shift over time. ADHD is not limited to childhood: about two-thirds of children diagnosed continue to have impairing symptoms as adults, even when they no longer meet the full diagnostic criteria [1].
Genetic Basis: ADHD is among the most heritable psychiatric conditions. Twin studies place its heritability at roughly 74%, within a commonly cited range of 70-80% [3]. The genetic basis is highly polygenic: the largest genome-wide association study to date identified 27 risk loci and mapped 76 candidate genes, many of them active in early brain development [2]. Individual common variants have very small effects - an estimated 7,300 of them together account for about 90% of the common-variant signal [2]. These common variants explain only around 14% of the variation in liability, well below the twin-based estimate, which points to rarer variants with larger effects carrying much of the remaining heritability [2]. Genes involved in dopamine and noradrenaline signalling, such as DRD4, DRD5, SLC6A3 (the dopamine transporter), and SNAP-25, have long been studied as candidates [3].
Environmental Factors: Because genetics accounts for most of the variation in ADHD, non-genetic factors explain a smaller share - broadly 20-30% [3]. Several prenatal and perinatal factors are associated with higher risk, including premature birth, low birth weight, and early-life lead exposure [1]. Maternal smoking during pregnancy is also associated with ADHD, but sibling comparisons and other genetically informative studies indicate the link is largely explained by shared familial and genetic factors rather than a direct effect of smoking [4]. ADHD is not caused by parenting style, sugar intake, or screen time, though these can influence how symptoms show up day to day [1].
The published research behind your score, and the variants it draws on.
2 published scores from 2 studies
The ADHD score combines 2 polygenic scores drawn from 2 published studies.
These traits are influenced by some of the same genes and variants as this one
Anxiety: A tendency toward generalized anxiety, chronic worry, and heightened sensitivity to stress.
Insomnia: Chronic difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or achieving restorative sleep.
Content updated August 2026.
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