"Hinshaw is one of the first to study girls themselves," says Nadeau of the lead author's work, published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology (Vol. Hinshaw, PhD, published two studies on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in girls last October, psychologist Kathleen Nadeau, PhD, was heartened that females with ADHD were finally beginning to receive long overdue attention from researchers. doi:10.1111/j.When psychologist Stephen P. Previous adult attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder symptoms and risk of dementia with Lewy bodies: a case-control study. Adult ADHD: risk factor for dementia or phenotypic mimic? Front Aging Neurosci. Callhan BL, Bierstone D, Stuss DT, Black SE. ® “I want to examine the differences between these two groups to learn more about what older adults can do to lead more satisfying lives in their later years.”ĭr Nadeau is currently interviewing senior adults for this book and is especially seeking male subjects.ġ. “I think the overall message I want to convey in the book I plan to write titled ‘Still Distracted After All These Years’ is that some older adults with ADHD seem to be thriving while others are still struggling,” said Nadeau in an e-mail exchange with The American Journal of Managed Care. But some people fare worse because they are socially isolated and have trouble managing paperwork, their homes, or clutter. They are free to pursue their passions and are free from structure and demands. Some people are happier because they have less stress on their executive functions now that they are no longer working. People with ADHD report different outcomes in retirement. She suggested that female patients with ADHD should consult with a physician who specializes in integrative medicine about hormone levels and hormone replacement.ĥ. She said stimulant medication can feel ineffective if estrogen levels are low. Many women report that they’ve “become dumb” at this age when hormone levels decline, Nadeau said. Women with ADHD can start to see changes in mid 40s in perimenopause and bigger changes around age 50. Both groups are at risk for developing poor sleep patterns and poor nutritional habits and benefit from finding or restoring structure to their lives.Ĥ. Just as young adults with ADHD lose oversight of their parents when they go away to school or move out, retirees may find themselves in new living situations and may have lost the structure of a job or a routine. There are interesting parallels between older adults with ADHD and younger adults with ADHD. The 2011 study said 47.8% of those with DLB had retrospectively diagnosed ADHD, compared with AD (15.2%) and a control group (15.1%). However, 1 retrospective study of individuals with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) suggests that those with ADHD are at greater risk of developing the disease. Nadeau said the jury is still out on whether it raises the risk of Alzheimer disease (AD). ADHD may increase the risk of MCI years later because of lifestyle issues related to ADHD that affect brain health. Some of the same cognitive symptoms of ADHD resemble symptoms of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and the relationship between the 2 remains unclear. The relationship of ADHD to dementia, mild cognitive impairment is unclear. Part of that issue may stem from the fact that 40% of primary care doctors have said they have never seen a patient with adult ADHD. There’s no training for professionals for diagnosing and treating what she calls “senior ADHD,” despite the fact that she said memory clinics are reporting more older patients are coming in asking to be tested for dementia or mild cognitive impairment, when what they really have is undiagnosed ADHD. The best measure is how people function in daily life, which is why she likes screening tools developed by other psychologists, such as the Brown ADD Scales for Adolescents and Adults, created by psychologist Thomas Brown, or the Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale-IV (BAARS-IV), created by psychologist Russell Barkley. There is no specific screen tool developed for older adults, Nadeau said. Nadeau, a psychologist in Maryland, spoke about this issue at the 2018 annual meeting of the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders in a talk called Still Distracted After All These Years: Exploring ADHD After Age 60.ġ. Nadeau, PhD, has particular interest in the topic, since she herself has ADHD, and she is surveying this special population for research for an upcoming book. However, what is known about ADHD when it affects older adults, especially those nearing retirement age or those who are already retired? Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a recognized disorder in adults and children, affecting about 8% of children and 4.4% of adults.
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