The identification and assessment of late-life ADHD in memory clinics

Little data exist about ADHD in late life. While evaluating patients' memory problems, the memory clinic staff has periodically identified ADHD in previously undiagnosed older adults. The authors conducted a survey to assess the extent to which other memory clinics view ADHD as a relevant clinical issue.

The authors developed and sent a questionnaire to memory clinics in the United States to determine the extent to which they identified patients with ADHD and the extent to which they took it into consideration.

Approximately one half of the memory clinics that responded reported seeing ADHD patients, either identifying previously diagnosed cases and/or newly diagnosing ADHD themselves. One fifth of clinics reported screening regularly for ADHD, and few clinics described accessing collateral informants to establish the diagnosis.

This article suggests that U.S. memory clinics may not adequately identify and address ADHD in the context of late-life cognitive disorders.