ADHD and Dementia Risk: What a 187,000-Adult Study Found
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.