Adult ADHD can be ‘triggered later in life’, say King’s College London
- Symptoms of ADHD might not emerge until adulthood, scientists found
- 70% of adults with condition showed no signs when they were children
- Disorder could have been ‘masked in childhood by supportive family’
- Or it could be ‘different condition altogether’ – study by King’s College said
Kate Pickles For Mailonline
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It is a condition that’s linked to poor concentration, difficult behaviour and hyperactivity in children.
But a new study has found ADHD might not emerge until early adulthood in some people.
Until now, it had been widely thought symptoms of the condition can continue into adulthood.
But the latest research found almost three quarters of young adults with ADHD did not show signs as children.
Researchers at King’s College London discovered nearly 70 per cent of the young adults with ADHD did not meet criteria for the disorder at any of the childhood assessments.
They found adults with this ‘late-onset’ ADHD had high levels of symptoms, impairment and other mental health disorders.
The latest research found almost three quarters of young adults with ADHD did not show signs as children
It is thought these findings will have important implications for our understanding of the condition – with scientists believing child and adult ADHD could have different causes.
Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais, who lead the study, said the development could change how people perceived the disease.
She said there were a number of factors that could explain why people developed it at a later age – such as their changing circumstances.
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‘We were very interested by this large ‘late-onset’ ADHD group, as ADHD is generally seen as a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental disorder,’ she said.
‘We speculated about the nature of late-onset ADHD: the disorder could have been masked in childhood due to protective factors, such as a supportive family environment.
‘Or it could be entirely explained by other mental health problems.
‘Alternatively, late-onset ADHD could be a distinct disorder altogether.’
The disorder characterised by short attention span, restlessness and impulsivity, and is usually diagnosed in childhood or the teenage years.
Estimates suggest that more than three per cent of boys and just under one per cent of girls has ADHD and around four per cent of adults
Estimates suggest that more than three per cent of boys and just under one per cent of girls has ADHD.
However less is known about the extent to which the disorder persists into adulthood.
Current estimates suggest that anywhere between 10 and 50 per cent of children still have ADHD later in life.
ADHD: WHAT IS THE DISORDER?
ADHD is characterised by NHS Choices as a ‘a group of behavioural symptoms that include inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness’.
Common symptoms include a short attention span, restlessness or constant fidgeting and being easily distracted, the health service says.
Many people with ADHD also have learning difficulties and other problems such as sleep disorders. The condition is normally diagnosed between the ages of three to seven.
Potential risk factors include smoking, alcohol or drug abuse during pregnancy, premature birth, and simply being male.
The latest study by the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology Neuroscience at King’s looked at 2,200 British twins from a national study.
Symptoms of childhood ADHD were measured at the ages of five, seven, 10 and 12 through reports from their mother and teachers.
Young adults were interviewed at the age of 18 to assess ADHD symptoms and any associated impairments, as well as the existence of other mental health disorders.
Scientists also looked at the genetic basis of ADHD and found the late-onset condition was less inheritable than childhood ADHD.
Dr Agnew-Blais said it was important for scientists to continue to investigate the underlying causes of late-onset ADHD.
‘Although ADHD occurs in approximately four per cent of adults, relatively few adults receive a diagnosis or treatment for the disorder,’ she said.
‘It is crucial that we take a developmental approach to understanding ADHD, and that the absence of a childhood diagnosis should not prevent adults with ADHD from receiving clinical attention.’
The UK study supports findings in Brazil which also identified a large proportion of adults with ADHD as not having the disorder in childhood.
It was published today in JAMA Psychiatry.
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