NEWPORT BEACH – October 14, 2026 -- In a JAMA Psychiatry study of 187,341 adults aged 50 and older, 6.7% of participants diagnosed with ADHD developed mild cognitive impairment or dementia, compared with 3.4% of those without ADHD.
ADHD diagnosis carried a 4.6-fold higher hazard after adjustment
After statistical adjustment, the researchers linked an ADHD diagnosis to a 4.6-fold higher hazard of cognitive impairment. The study was led by Bauer-Negrini and colleagues and published on October 7, 2026.
Psychiatrist Daniel G. Amen, MD, founder of Amen Clinics, says the findings reinforce his long-held view that mental health is brain health. He argues that ADHD is a brain-based condition, not just a problem of attention, behavior or motivation.
Amen points to brain SPECT imaging and 11 risk factors
Amen's clinical approach includes brain SPECT imaging, which measures patterns of cerebral blood flow and activity. The new study did not examine SPECT, and SPECT is not an established screening test for predicting dementia decades before symptoms appear.
His BRIGHT MINDS framework lists 11 areas relevant to brain health:
- Blood flow
- Retirement and aging
- Inflammation
- Genetics
- Head trauma
- Toxins
- Mental health
- Immunity and infections
- Neurohormones
- Diabesity
- Sleep
Amen says ADHD does not automatically cause all 11 risk factors. He says it can make some of them more likely or harder to manage.
The observational study does not show that ADHD causes dementia
The research does not establish that ADHD causes Alzheimer's disease or dementia. It also does not determine whether treating ADHD prevents cognitive decline.
Amen encourages adults to discuss new or worsening memory symptoms with a qualified clinician. He also urges them to address modifiable risks: physical inactivity, high blood pressure, metabolic conditions, insufficient sleep, harmful substance use and untreated mental health concerns.
"Having ADHD does not mean dementia is inevitable," Amen said.
His Amen WHOLE-4 approach adds four areas: Brain and Body, Mind, Relationships and Spirit. With National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month approaching in November, Amen hopes the research prompts earlier conversations about lifelong cognitive health.