Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026

Using Brain Activation (nir-HEG/Q-EEG) and Execution Measures (CPTs) in a ADHD Assessment Protocol
Published on: April 1, 2018
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Risk of Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Ludovico Baiamonte1,2, Giovanna Bellante1,2, Patrizio Allegra1,3
1Department of Diagnostic, Interventional and Stroke Radiology, UOC Neurology, AOUP 'P. Giaccone', 90100 Palermo, Italy.
Introduction:
The significant impact of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on health in adult life has been widely recognized. Among the comorbidities of this disorder in later life, dementia is one of the most relevant ones. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the impact of previous ADHD diagnosis on dementia risk.
Materials And Methods:
We systematically searched Pubmed, Embase and Scopus for the relevant literature. Cohort and case-control studies were included in our review. Retrieved records were selected by title and abstract and then by full text reading. For quality appraisal, the Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used. A meta-analysis of hazard ratios (HRs) was performed for each type of dementia.
Results:
Four cohort studies and one case-control study were included, for a total of 3,703,877 and 400 participants, respectively. For all-cause dementia, the pooled HR was 2.52 (95%CI 1.51-4.22, p < 0.001), pointing out a significantly higher hazard in subjects with ADHD. For Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia and Lewy body dementia, no meta-analysis was performed due to the low number of available studies.
Discussion And Conclusions:
Our results support a significant association between ADHD and risk of dementia. The results regarding specific types of dementia are more challenging to interpret and could have been influenced by sample size issues. These findings show that ADHD deserves attention in future research on cognitive disorders of the elderly; in particular, more studies are needed to reveal if a true causal relationship links ADHD and dementia.
More Related Videos
10:02Event Related Potentials (ERPs) and other EEG Based Methods for Extracting Biomarkers of Brain Dysfunction: Examples from Pediatric Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Published on: March 12, 2020
05:48The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
Published on: June 12, 2020
Related Concept Videos
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings.
Dementia l: Introduction
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
Dementia
The progression of dementia is generally gradual.
Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment