A common neurodevelopmental disorder could be linked to dementia risk, a new study suggests.
Research led by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, involving more than 187,000 adults aged 50 and older, found that ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) was associated with a substantially increased risk of dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
The observational study looked at electronic health records and genetic information of participants who were enrolled in the U.S. National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program.
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Cognitive impairment was observed in 6.7% of participants with ADHD versus 3.4% without the disorder — nearly twice the rate.
After researchers adjusted for age, gender and other health conditions, those with ADHD had more than four times the risk.
The findings — which were published Oct. 7 in JAMA Psychiatry — only show an association and cannot determine that ADHD increases dementia risk, the researchers acknowledged.
“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, associate professor of psychiatry and of neurology at Pitt, in a press release.
“Two different kinds of evidence are pointing in the same direction.”
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Meanwhile, those with the highest genetic susceptibility to ADHD were found to have a 35% greater risk of dementia than those with the lowest susceptibility.
“Analyzing genetic information alongside years of health records allows us to identify patterns that might not be visible in a smaller or more traditional study,” said Guilherme Bauer-Negrini, co-first author and postdoctoral associate in biomedical data science at Pitt, in the release.
“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.”
Dr. Elizabeth Landsverk, a geriatric medicine and dementia expert with over 20 years of experience treating patients with Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline, noted that people with ADHD can have more difficulty with organization, which could contribute to the higher risk of cognitive impairment, although neurological differences may also play a role.
“It might [be] that keeping on top of health issues and getting to the doctor is more difficult for them,” Landsverk, a California-based doctor who is not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
The study also found that people with ADHD had a 20% higher incidence of utilizing health resources, she pointed out.
“Having just signed up for Medicare, I know that it’s really complicated — if you have trouble with focusing and getting things done, you may not be able to get the resources that you need,” Landsverk said. “You may not be able to go to the doctor. You may not get your blood pressure taken care of. So there’s probably a correlation.”
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“It goes back to nature versus nurture — particularly if we’re starting at age 50, as opposed to starting at 20.”
It can be challenging to distinguish between ADHD and cognitive decline, as some of the symptoms may overlap, according to Landsverk.
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“I imagine it can look similar,” she said. “You know, you don’t remember why you went into a room. You don’t know where your keys are, you don’t remember the name of an actress.”
It is cause for concern if the individual struggles to take care of day-to-day tasks, the expert noted.
“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.”
Changes in judgment, mood or social behavior may be more suggestive of dementia than ADHD, Landsverk noted.
Although the study found an association between ADHD and cognitive impairment, Landsverk emphasized that some lifestyle behaviors can help people reduce their overall dementia risk.
She pointed to maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol, and staying physically active as important modifiable factors, along with controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.
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“There’s a lot we can do,” Landsverk said, recommending a largely plant-based diet and at least 30 minutes of daily exercise.
Physical activity can also help improve mood and focus, she added.
Anyone experiencing persistent problems with memory, focus, organization or managing everyday tasks should consider seeing an expert for an evaluation, Landsverk advised.