biostudies-literatureSalontaji KEconomic and Social Research CouncilNICHD NIH HHSEuropean Research CouncilMedical Research CouncilNIMH NIH HHSZonMwWellcome TrustEngineering and Physical Sciences Research Council2911-2918https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7616513biostudies-literatureUnknown29(9)Epigenetic age acceleration (EAA), defined as the difference between chronological age and epigenetically predicted age, was calculated from multiple gestational epigenetic clocks (Bohlin, EPIC overlap, and Knight) using DNA methylation levels from cord blood in three large population-based birth cohorts: the Generation R Study (The Netherlands), the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (United Kingdom), and the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (Norway). We hypothesized that a lower EAA associates prospectively with increased ADHD symptoms. We tested our hypotheses in these three cohorts and meta-analyzed the results (n = 3383). We replicated previous research on the association between gestational age (GA) and ADHD. Both clinically measured gestational age as welMolecular psychiatryGestational epigenetic age and ADHD symptoms in childhood: a prospective, multi-cohort study.PMC7616513EP/Y015037/1R01 HD068437ES/K000357/1G9815508529051022217065/Z/19/ZR01 MH113930101039672MC_PC_15018MC_PC_19009Sanders FFelix JFWalton ECecil CAMSalontaji KPage CMBohlin JBekkhus MHaftorn KLTiemeier HfalseGestational epigenetic age and ADHD symptoms in childhood: a prospective, multi-cohort study.Epigenetic age acceleration (EAA), defined as the difference between chronological age and epigenetically predicted age, was calculated from multiple gestational epigenetic clocks (Bohlin, EPIC overlap, and Knight) using DNA methylation levels from cord blood in three large population-based birth cohorts: the Generation R Study (The Netherlands), the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (United Kingdom), and the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (Norway). We hypothesized that a lower EAA associates prospectively with increased ADHD symptoms. We tested our hypotheses in these three cohorts and meta-analyzed the results (n = 3383). We replicated previous research on the association between gestational age (GA) and ADHD. Both clinically measured gestational age as wel2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Sep2025-04-22T16:59:20.024Z2025-04-06T01:55:22.516ZS-EPMC76165133856146610.1038/s41380-024-02544-2