This Society is an internationally represented organization of ADHD researchers and clinicians whose goal is to discuss and disseminate the state-of-the-art in ADHD diagnosis and treatment.

I am honored to be invited to present my findings from our publication on ADHD in adults over age 50. The link is brief interview highlighting our upcoming discussion of the topic.

Our paper is the first review of the world-wide English research papers and was published online Dec 16, 2015 in Drugs and Aging, an international journal. This age population with ADHD is a poorly studied group of people. The estimated prevalence of ADHD in people over age 50 years is approximately 3%. In the U.S., this prevalence rate translates to 1.2 million that will grow to 2.5 million by 2050. These numbers don’t include those children and adults now diagnosed with ADHD who will age. Only 1 in 5 memory clinics actively screen for ADHD in their evaluations of people complaining of cognitive difficulties. Therefore many older adults with ADHD are misdiagnosed and provided ineffective treatments.

Physicians are not trained to consider ADHD in older adults so cognitive symptoms may be dismissed as normal age related decline or worse, as early dementia. We know from some limited research that older adults with ADHD treated with medication report better attention and improved ability to manage daily tasks.

Given the paucity of research in this area, I believe that ADHD in older adults will be the next frontier for clinical treatment and research. It will be important to identify how ADHD symptoms manifest in older adults and how symptoms impair daily functioning and quality of life.

My presentation with Dr. Craig Surman, co-author and faculty member at the Massachusetts General Hospital, will highlight the need to focus attention on older adults with ADHD.

David W. Goodman, M.D., FAPA