Can adult ADHD increase their dementia risk in later life, Insights from JAMA study

Adults with ADHD have a significantly higher risk of developing dementia in later life, according to a large-scale cohort study published in JAMA. The study, which included over 109,000 participants, sheds light on a previously understudied connection, emphasizing the importance of addressing ADHD in older adults.

The study, conducted by a nonprofit Israeli health maintenance organization, followed individuals born between 1933 and 1952 who entered the cohort without prior diagnoses of ADHD or dementia. The participants, aged 51 to 70 years at the beginning of the study in 2003, were tracked until February 28, 2020.

Adult ADHD was considered a time-varying factor, categorized as present from the age of the first diagnosis, using established medical coding systems. Cox regression models were applied to evaluate the association between adult ADHD and the risk of developing dementia, with adjustments made for potential confounding variables.

The findings were striking. Of the participants, 730 individuals (0.7%) received an adult ADHD diagnosis, and 7,726 (7.1%) received a dementia diagnosis during the study period. Dementia was diagnosed in 13.2% of those with adult ADHD, compared to 7.0% of those without ADHD. In the primary analysis, the presence of adult ADHD was strongly associated with an increased risk of dementia, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 2.77, indicating a statistically significant link.

Reference: Levine SZ, Rotstein A, Kodesh A, et al. Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and the Risk of Dementia. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(10):e2338088. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.38088