Is ADHD a risk factor for developing mild cognitive impairment, cognitive decline, or dementia? Here, an expert sheds light on what the research has revealed — and what is still unknown.
Historically, ADHD was considered a childhood neurodevelopmental disorder. Now we know from published research thatADHD continues well into older ages
. Unfortunately, many memory clinics’ assessments fail to consider pre-existing ADHD when evaluating older adults’ complaints of cognitive difficulties.is associated with neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease, movement disorders, or dementia. Eight studies published over the past 15 years suggest that ADHD may be a risk factor for neurodegenerative conditions.
However, it is important to note the two major methodologic limitations to the studies: accuracy of ADHD diagnosis, in part because of poor symptom recall as a child/adolescent, and controlled sample size, or the number of older adults without ADHD. That means studies contain biases that interfere with an accurate interpretation of the findings. So, at best, these findings are preliminary, and researchers will continue to investigate.
While this information may be concerning and even alarming, I suggest that older patients with ADHD monitor any symptoms that may reflect cognitive decline and/or possible muscular movement disorders. If you are concerned, discuss these observations with your prescriber.David W. Goodman, M.D., LFAPA, is an assistant professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
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