New research suggests ADHD could be associated with increased dementia risk

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A new U.S. study suggests ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) could be linked with a substantially increased risk of dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

According to a FOX News Digital report, the study of 187,000 adults, aged 50 and older, found cognitive impairment observed in 6.7% of participants with ADHD versus 3.4% without the disorder — nearly twice the rate.

After adjusting for age, gender and other health conditions, researchers found those with ADHD had more than four times the risk.

The research was led by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and looked at the electronic health records and genetic information of participants enrolled in the U.S. National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program.

Still, researchers said the findings only show an association and cannot determine that ADHD increases dementia risk. The research was published on Oct. 7 in JAMA Psychiatry.

“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 the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, in a news release.

“Two different kinds of evidence are pointing in the same direction.”

Higher genetic susceptibility to ADHD led to 35% greater risk of dementia compare to lowest susceptibility 

The research also found those with the highest genetic susceptibility to ADHD had 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 the university, in the release.

“It goes back to nature versus nurture — particularly if we’re starting at age 50, as opposed to starting at 20. 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,” he said.

Dr. Elizabeth Landsverk, a geriatric medicine-dementia expert with 20 years of experience and not associated with the study, told FOX News Digital that changes in judgement, mood or social behavior may be more a symptom of dementia than ADHD.

She added certain behavior can help people reduce their overall dementia risk including maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking and or drinking a lot of alcohol, and staying active along with controlling blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.

“There’s a lot we can do,” said Landsverk, who recommends a largely plant-based diet and at least 30 minutes of daily exercise.

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