The diagnosis and treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in older adults

Introduction There is a striking knowledge gap on ADHD in older adults, and the diagnosis as well as treatment for ADHD in this age group.Areas covered The authors first review the literature on the prevalence, functional impairment, and health comorbidities of ADHD across the lifespan. Next, they address the diagnostic criteria for ADHD in adults according to the DSM/ICD, available screening/diagnostic tools, differential diagnosis, and the validity of diagnostic criteria for ADHD in older adults. Finally, the authors focus on empirical evidence on the prevalence rates, medication response, and safety of pharmacological treatment of ADHD in older adults, and national and international clinical guidelines on the treatment of ADHD in this age group.Expert opinion It is expected that future editions of the DSM and ICD will provide specifiers to the standard ADHD criteria, to better inform the diagnosis of ADHD in older adults. It is also expected that the increasing number of epidemiological studies will provide rigorous estimates on the prevalence, incidence, and burden of ADHD in older adults. One may expect an increasing number of RCTs assessing the efficacy/effectiveness and tolerability/safety of pharmacological as well as non-pharmacological interventions which will inform future guidelines on ADHD in older adults.

Automated summary

There is a significant knowledge gap on ADHD in older adults, both in diagnosis and treatment. This article provides a comprehensive review of the literature on the prevalence, functional impairment, and health comorbidities of ADHD across the lifespan. The authors also discuss the diagnostic criteria for ADHD in adults, available screening tools, pharmacological treatment response, and national and international clinical guidelines for ADHD in older adults. Further research is needed to improve diagnostic criteria, conduct epidemiological studies, and assess the efficacy and safety of interventions for ADHD in older adults.