A genetic predisposition to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can also predispose people to Alzheimer’s disease. explanations.
When neurological damage is associated with each other … According to American researchers from the University of Pittsburgh College of Medicine, suffering from attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity (ADHD) would put patients at increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease as well.
To prove this, the scientists used a tool called the “ADHD Polygenic Risk Score” that is able to identify the gene combinations that cause a potential risk for ADHD. This result was compared, along with other data such as the presence of amyloid plaques and levels of tau protein, two markers of Alzheimer’s disease, in 212 volunteers over 6 years. As a result, a predisposition to ADHD has been found to be associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
A genetic component of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
“It is now possible to curb Alzheimer’s disease when it is caught – and therefore taken care of – early,” recalls Professor Tharic Pascual, a second psychiatrist associated with this work. “It is therefore important to put every opportunity on the science side to better control vulnerability factors and to work as quickly as possible with patients who are considered to be at risk.”
An important point for patients, because if it appears during childhood, ADHD persists into adulthood and affects quality of life and health status “but also life expectancy”, continues Professor Douglas Leyva, psychiatrist and lead author of the study.
Thus, can a doctor closely monitor ADHD carriers for possible first signs of Alzheimer’s disease? In this regard, there is still a long way to go. Priority: “Examining the effect of ADHD correction in young children on future protection against Alzheimer’s disease risk, by monitoring the emergence of brain biomarkers typical of Alzheimer’s disease.” The long-term work by the team of Professors Leffa and Pascoal has already begun, “important for a better understanding of the multifactorial origin of neurological diseases and the mechanisms through which they affect cognitive functions.”
By the numbers
ADHD occurs before the age of 12. It leads to “lack of attention, motor hyperactivity and impulsivity”, sums up Ameli.fr. The presence and severity of symptoms will vary according to each case, but it is estimated that these three specific points are present together in 20% of patients. In total, 3 to 5% of schoolchildren, mostly boys, suffer from it. But what is its origin? “Unlike most other behavioral disorders, ADHD has a genetic component, which is not reflected in a single affected gene but rather a group of small genetic changes.”
Alzheimer’s disease currently affects one million French people. It is one of the most widespread “epidemics” of chronic diseases over time, and is associated with an aging population: thus, among those over 65 years of age, the total number of patients for 2040 is expected to reach 2.1 million. This disease is the main cause of severe dependence in the elderly.
