The associations between adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the risk of cognitive decline.
By Priyanjana Pramanik, MSc.Oct 19 2023Reviewed by Lily Ramsey, LLM In a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers explored the associations between adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the risk of cognitive decline. Their results indicate that individuals with ADHD are more likely to be diagnosed with dementia.
Some of the factors thought to be associated with increased dementia risk are low education, physical inactivity, smoking, diabetes, hypertension, and depression. Epidemiological risk studies and clinical observations also point to the possible role of adult ADHD. For instance, memory loss is a symptom of both adult ADHD and dementia. Medical professionals see adult ADHD as a condition distinct from ADHD in children, but it has not been well studied.
About the study The present study used a prospective birth cohort design to explore the link between adult ADHD and dementia. Data was obtained from the health records of an Israeli nonprofit legally prohibited from refusing treatment based on demographics or pre-existing conditions. This allowed the researchers to reduce the effect of selection bias in their sample.
The research team considered covariates that could confound the relationship between ADHD and dementia, such as demographics, comorbidities, and medication use. Demographics included age, sex, and neighborhood socioeconomic status. Smoking status was also included. Comorbidities included obesity, depression, heart and cerebrovascular conditions, Parkinson’s disease, migraines, and traumatic brain injuries. Medications included nootropics and psychostimulants.
A total of 730 individuals, or 0.7% of the sample, were diagnosed with adult ADHD throughout the study, and 7726 people, or 7.1%, received a dementia diagnosis. Preliminary analysis showed that 42.9% of those with an adult ADHD diagnosis were also diagnosed with dementia at age 85, compared to only 15.2% of those without an ADHD diagnosis.
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