Frontiers in Psychiatry (Sep 2021)

Mild Cognitive Impairment or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Older Adults? A Cross Sectional Study

  • Felippe Mendonca,
  • Felipe Kenji Sudo,
  • Gustavo Santiago-Bravo,
  • Natalia Oliveira,
  • Naima Assuncao,
  • Fernanda Rodrigues,
  • Rejane Soares,
  • Victor Calil,
  • Gabriel Bernardes,
  • Pilar Erthal,
  • Claudia Drummond,
  • Fernanda Tovar-Moll,
  • Paulo Mattos,
  • Paulo Mattos

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.737357
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12

Abstract

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Background: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a highly prevalent neurodevelopmental condition, which may be associated with life-enduring cognitive dysfunction. It has been hypothesized that age-related cognitive decline may overlap with preexisting deficits in older ADHD patients, leading to increased problems to manage everyday-life activities. This phenomenon may mimic neurodegenerative disorders, in particular Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). This cross-sectional study aims to assess cognitive and behavioral differences between older subjects with ADHD and MCI.Methods: A total of 107 older participants (41 controls; 40 MCI and 26 ADHD; mean age = 67.60 ± 7.50 years; mean schooling = 15.14 ± 2.77 years; 65.4% females) underwent clinical, cognitive, and behavioral assessments by a multidisciplinary team at the Memory Clinic, D'Or Institute for Research and Education, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Mean scores in neuropsychological tasks and behavioral scales were compared across groups.Results: Participants with ADHD showed poorer performances than controls in episodic memory and executive function with large effect-sizes. Performances were comparable between MCI and ADHD for all domains.Discussion: MCI and ADHD in older individuals are dissociated clinical entities with overlapping cognitive profiles. Clinicians ought to be aware of these converging phenotypes to avoid misdiagnosis.

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