FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — Adults over 50 with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may face a substantially higher risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, according to new research that found an association between ADHD and more than four times the risk after accounting for other factors.
The study, led by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, examined health records and genetic information from more than 187,000 adults aged 50 and older participating in the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Research Program.
Researchers found that cognitive impairment was documented in 6.7% of participants with ADHD, compared with 3.4% of those without the disorder. That amounted to nearly twice the observed rate before researchers adjusted for age, sex and other health conditions.
After those adjustments, participants with ADHD had more than four times the risk of dementia, according to findings published October 7 in JAMA Psychiatry.
Researchers stressed that the study does not establish that ADHD causes dementia. Instead, the findings show an association that warrants further investigation into the factors that may contribute to cognitive decline as people age.
“This doesn’t prove that ADHD causes dementia, but seeing the same pattern show up independently in medical records and in people’s genes gives us greater confidence that the association is not simply an artifact of how ADHD gets diagnosed,” said senior author Tharick A. Pascoal, an associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Pittsburgh, in a press release.
“Two different kinds of evidence are pointing in the same direction,” Pascoal said.
The genetic analysis also found that participants with the highest genetic susceptibility to ADHD had a 35% greater risk of dementia than those with the lowest susceptibility.
Guilherme Bauer-Negrini, a co-first author and postdoctoral associate in biomedical data science at the university, said combining genetic information with years of medical records can reveal patterns that might be missed in smaller studies.
“With this kind of data, we can start to investigate what may be driving this association and whether any of those factors could be modified to support healthier cognitive aging,” Bauer-Negrini said in the release.
Researchers have not established precisely why adults with ADHD showed a higher risk of cognitive impairment. Possible explanations include differences in brain function, challenges managing health conditions and other factors that could influence long-term cognitive health.
Dr. Elizabeth Landsverk, a California-based geriatric medicine and dementia specialist who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital that difficulties with organization and attention could make it harder for some people with ADHD to keep up with medical appointments, medications and preventive care.
“It might [be] that keeping on top of health issues and getting to the doctor is more difficult for them,” Landsverk said.
She also pointed to the complexity of navigating the health care system, particularly as people enter older adulthood and begin managing additional medical needs.
The study found that people with ADHD had a 20% higher incidence of using health care resources, according to the Fox News report. Landsverk said difficulties with focus and completing tasks could potentially interfere with accessing care or managing conditions such as high blood pressure.
However, the findings do not establish that health care access explains the increased dementia risk, and further research is needed to determine which factors may be involved.
Distinguishing ADHD symptoms from early signs of dementia can also be challenging. Both can involve forgetfulness, misplaced belongings, difficulty concentrating and trouble keeping track of tasks.
Landsverk said changes in a person’s ability to manage everyday responsibilities can be an important reason to seek a medical evaluation.
“You can’t pay your bills, you can’t get your medications right, you can’t get to your appointments, you tell people that you’re going to do stuff and then you don’t — that’s when you need to get checked,” she said.
Changes in judgment, mood or social behavior may also warrant attention, particularly when they represent a departure from a person’s usual behavior.
The distinction is important because longstanding attention and organizational difficulties associated with ADHD are not necessarily evidence of dementia. New or progressively worsening cognitive problems, especially when they interfere with daily life, should be evaluated by a health care professional.
Although researchers continue to investigate the relationship between ADHD and dementia, Landsverk said there are established ways to address several risk factors associated with cognitive decline.
She recommended maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption, staying physically active and managing blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.
Landsverk also advocated a largely plant-based diet and at least 30 minutes of daily exercise, noting that physical activity can benefit mood and focus as well as overall health.
The study adds to ongoing research into how neurological conditions, genetics, health behaviors and access to medical care may influence cognitive health later in life. But the researchers’ findings should not be interpreted as proof that people with ADHD will develop dementia.
For adults experiencing persistent memory problems, worsening difficulty with organization or trouble managing everyday activities, experts recommend discussing those changes with a health care professional. An evaluation can help determine whether the symptoms are consistent with ADHD, another treatable condition or a developing cognitive disorder.
