Adult ADHD as a Precursor of LBD

In January 2011, researchers from Argentina published a study examining whether adult ADHD (attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder) has a relationship to a later diagnosis of LBD. The study was based on the premise that the same neurotransmitter pathway problems are involved in the development of both conditions. ADHD is one of the most common behavior disorders in children and adolescents, and the problems it causes (such as difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and doing things impulsively) can continue into adulthood.

The researchers started with a pool of people with mild to moderate LBD and Alzheimer's disease, as well as normal people matched in age, sex, and education. ADHD was assessed by talking to those who knew the dementia patients for at least 10 years and had information from a close relative about their childhood behavior.

Of the 109 people with LBD, 48% had previously had adult ADHD. That compares with 15% of the 251 Alzheimer's patients and 15% of the 149 non-demented people. Impulsivity and hyperactivity, the major symptoms of ADHD, had been significantly associated with a later diagnosis of LBD. The exact reasons for the association are not known.

You can read the press release and the abstract of the scientific article published in the journal European Journal of Neurology.