This week we talk about two recent studies which suggest a potential link between adult ADHD and an increased risk of developing dementia; though causation remains unproven. These studies, one in Israel and another in Sweden, found that adults with ADHD were significantly more likely to develop dementia or mild cognitive impairment. These findings were consistent across most demographics, though ADHD medication appeared to reduce the risk. The research highlights the need for further exploration into shared mechanisms between these conditions and raises questions about whether ADHD may predispose the brain to dementia or if certain factors, such as psychiatric comorbidities or medication, play protective roles.

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References:

Callahan, B. L., Bierstone, D., Stuss, D. T., & Black, S. E. (2017). Adult ADHD: risk factor for dementia or phenotypic mimic?. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 9, 260. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00260/full

Dobrosavljevic, M., Zhang, L., Garcia-Argibay, M., Du Rietz, E., Andershed, H., Chang, Z., ... & Larsson, H. (2022). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as a risk factor for dementia and mild cognitive impairment: A population-based register study. European Psychiatry, 65(1), e3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8792867/

Levine, S. Z., Rotstein, A., Kodesh, A., Sandin, S., Lee, B. K., Weinstein, G., ... & Reichenberg, A. (2023). Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and the risk of dementia. JAMA network open, 6(10), e2338088-e2338088. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10582792/

Moffitt, T. E., Houts, R., Asherson, P., Belsky, D. W., Corcoran, D. L., Hammerle, M., ... & Caspi, A. (2015). Is adult ADHD a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder? Evidence from a four-decade longitudinal cohort study. American Journal of Psychiatry, 172(10), 967-977. https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.14101266

Yokoi, T. (2023). Alzheimer’s Disease is a Disorder of Consciousness. Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, 9, 23337214231159759. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9989409/