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. 2023 May 25;2(2):e104.
doi: 10.1002/pcn5.104. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Predictors of probable attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment visiting a memory clinic

Shiho Nagano  1   2   3 , Naoto Kamimura  1   4 , Satoko Sota  1   3 , Hidetoshi Takahashi  1   3   5 , Narufumi Suganuma  3   6 , Hiroaki Kazui  1
Affiliations

Predictors of probable attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in elderly patients with mild cognitive impairment visiting a memory clinic

Shiho Nagano et al. PCN Rep. .

Abstract

Aim: Characteristics of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) that persist into old age are often confused with symptoms of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and the actual rate of probable ADHD in people with MCI is unknown. This study estimated the proportion of MCI patients with probable ADHD and investigated the factors to identify MCI patients with probable ADHD.

Methods: We recruited 36 elderly patients (11 males, 25 females, mean age 72.4 ± 7.6 years) who met the MCI criteria. The MCI patients were classified as those with [MCI/ADHD (+)] and without [MCI/ADHD (-)] probable ADHD, according to the Wender Utah Rating Scale scores. The autism features, inattention, and hyperactivity features during childhood and current periods, estimated intelligence quotient, and demographic data were compared between the groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors of MCI/ADHD (+) patients.

Results: Nine (25.0%) and 27 patients were added into the MCI/ADHD (+) and MCI/ADHD (-) groups, respectively. The MCI/ADHD (+) group mostly comprised men, those who visited the clinic at a younger age, had more years of schooling, and had strong autism spectrum disorder tendencies. Multiple logistic regression analysis indicated male sex and current hyperactivity as significant predictors of probable ADHD in MCI patients.

Conclusion: A quarter of the patients with MCI had probable ADHD. Male sex and hyperactivity at the time of MCI diagnosis might help in predicting probable ADHD in MCI patients. However, these results were obtained from a single-center, small-case study and should be confirmed via longitudinal studies with a large number of cases.

Keywords: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; memory clinic; mild cognitive impairment; predictor.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of participants. ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; CDR, Clinical Dementia Rating; MCI, mild cognitive impairment; NPH, normal pressure hydrocephalus; MMSE, Mini‐Mental State Examination; WURS, Wender Utah Rating Scale.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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