There dementia corresponds to a progressive decline in cognitive functions with impairment of memory, thinking, judgment and learning, which can result from various diseases affecting the brain. Alzheimer’s disease is the cause of 60 to 70% of cases of dementia according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Although this condition generally occurs in people over 65, it is not a consequence of normal biological aging of the brain. Age is the main risk factor, but there are also high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, lack of physical activity and even depression.
In a study led by the Rutgers Brain Health Institute (United States) and published on October 17 in JAMA Network OpenAmerican researchers were interested in the link between a attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD) and the risk of developing dementia. To do this, they followed more than 100,000 Israeli people aged 71 to 90 for 17 years. As in children, the Adult ADHD is characterized by the association of symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, according to the High Authority of Health. This disorder affects between 2.5 and 2.9% of the adult population in France. It can frequently be associated with other disorders such as anxiety, mood, personality, addiction or even sleep disorders.
ADHD: elderly people affected are almost three times more likely to develop dementia
At the end of the study, 13.2% of participants with ADHD were diagnosed with dementia, compared to 7.0% of people without the disorder. The researchers concluded that an ADHD diagnosis was associated with a 2.77 times higher risk of dementia in the elderly followed in the study. This increased risk of dementia in these individuals with ADHD is significant, even when other risk factors for dementia are taken into account, such as cardiovascular disease. ADHD in adults may lead to a neurological process that reduces their ability to compensate for the effects of cognitive decline later in life, scientists say.
Dementia: ADHD symptoms to watch out for in older adults
“Physicians, clinicians, and caregivers who work with older adults should monitor ADHD symptoms and associated medications“said Abraham Reichenberg, co-author of the study, in a statement.Symptoms of attention deficit and hyperactivity in the elderly should not be ignored and should be discussed with doctors“, added Stephen Levine, another author of this work.
Researchers also suggest that ADHD treatments including psychostimulants may help reduce this increased risk of dementia in adults with this attention disorder. Indeed, according to them, psychostimulants modify the trajectory of cognitive impairment. They emphasize the importance for future studies ofexamine the impact of medications in detail in people with ADHD and how they might affect dementia risk.
Sources
Read also :
⋙ Dementia: risk factors could vary according to ethnic origin, according to a study
⋙ Dementia: here are 3 particularities that could help delay brain aging
⋙ These jobs expose you to a greater risk of dementia according to a study