A study conducted by Rutgers has revealed that adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a significantly higher risk, nearly three times more likely, of developing dementia compared to adults without ADHD. This finding underscores the potential link between ADHD and the risk of dementia in later life.
The study, coauthored by Michal Schnaider Beeri, who serves as the director of the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at Rutgers Brain Health Institute (BHI), was published in JAMA Network Open. This research observed and tracked over 100,000 older adults in Israel for a duration of 17 years. Its primary objective was to investigate whether adults with ADHD face an elevated risk of developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Although more than 3 percent of the adult population in the United States has ADHD, there is limited research on this group.
“By determining if adults with ADHD are at higher risk for dementia and if medications and/or lifestyle changes can affect risks, the outcomes of this research can be used to better inform caregivers and clinicians,” said Beeri, the Krieger Klein Endowed Chair in Neurodegeneration Research at BHI and a faculty member of the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research.
The shocking findings of a Rutgers study have revealed a significant link between adults with ADHD and an almost threefold increased risk of developing dementia. This research highlights the importance of paying closer attention to ADHD symptoms in older adults and exploring treatments that could potentially reduce this risk. A study conducted
The study, coauthored by Michal Schnaider Beeri, who directs the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s Research Center at Rutgers Brain Health Institute (BHI), was published in JAMA Network Open. Over a 17-year period, it tracked more than 100,000 older adults in Israel to investigate whether adults with ADHD are more susceptible to dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
While over 3 percent of the adult population in the United States has ADHD, there is limited research on this group. This study’s outcomes can potentially benefit caregivers and clinicians by determining if adults with ADHD are at a higher risk of dementia and if medications or lifestyle changes can mitigate this risk.
The researchers used data from a national cohort study that monitored more than 100,000 individuals from 2003 to 2020. They analyzed the occurrence of dementia in groups with and without ADHD, even after accounting for other dementia risk factors such as cardiovascular conditions. The presence of adult ADHD was found to be significantly associated with a higher risk of dementia, suggesting that ADHD in adults may affect their ability to compensate for cognitive decline in later life.
The study’s senior author, Abraham Reichenberg, emphasized the importance of monitoring ADHD symptoms and medications for healthcare professionals, caregivers, and clinicians working with older adults. Stephen Levine, a professor at the School of Public Health at the University of Haifa, also stressed the significance of discussing and addressing symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity in old age.