Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) have found an association between genetic liability for ADHD and the development of AD pathophysiology1 in a new study published by Molecular Psychiatry today. This groundbreaking study is the first of its kind to establish a scientific correlation between ADHD and cognitive decline. A series of cognitive imaging tests and assessments were performed at the baseline of the study (then six months later, one year later, and annually after that) to track cognitive decline and AD pathology. These tests included: The combination of a high genetic liability to ADHD and brain Aβ deposition was more significant on cognitive deterioration than either factor alone. In Aβ-positive individuals, higher ADHD-PRS was also associated with increased CSP p-tau levels, reduced gray matter density, and atrophy in the frontal and parietal regions. No significant association was observed between high genetic liability to ADHD and neurodegeneration in Aβ-negative individuals. “We believe the next step will be to measure biomarkers of Alzheimer’s pathology in older individuals that were diagnosed with ADHD in childhood. By following these individuals over time, we will be able to confirm the association between ADHD and late-onset Alzheimer’s disease, as well as better comprehend the mechanisms behind it,” he explains. Additionally, Leffa points out that studies on the genetic risk of ADHD (including this one) and most of the Alzheimer’s literature have been conducted in individuals that self-identify as white. “Future research should definitely focus on recruiting a more diverse population in order to answer how race plays into the genetic association between ADHD and Alzheimer’s disease,” he says. As such, the advice for taking care of your cognitive well-being as you age is the same for individuals with and without ADHD:
