Adult ADHD: A 'real' condition that may be inherited

Mention the words Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, and people typically think of a condition that only affects children. But, while by definition ADHD does always begin in childhood,¹ it can continue to affect any age group, including adults.² It's now believed that at least 50 per cent of people who have ADHD as a child will go on to experience symptoms in later life.³

The good news is that research into adult ADHD has come into its own recently,² with more and more work being done to uncover the causes – and one of those is now thought to be a person's genetics, which means that ADHD may be inherited.⁴ Experts estimate that 50 per cent of children born to a parent who has ADHD are more likely to have the condition,⁵ and similarly when a child is diagnosed, there's a 40 per cent chance that one of their parents has also got ADHD, even if it's not yet been recognised.⁵ Genetics are also thought to be more heavily involved in adult ADHD compared to childhood ADHD,⁶ with the likelihood of having ADHD if a sibling does being much higher when it's diagnosed as an adult rather than as a child.⁶

But, while there may be a variety of likely causes that contribute to adult ADHD,⁴ it's important to realise that it's not the result of either bad parenting or a lack of discipline in the first few years of life.⁷^,8

What's worrying is that it seems that less than one-quarter of adults with ADHD have actually been diagnosed⁵ – which is cause for concern because adults living with ADHD are likely to have experienced a significant amount of disruption to their lives as a result of their symptoms, whether they've realised it or not.²

An adult living with ADHD may find it difficult to concentrate or absorb new information and can also be easily distracted, restless and even impulsive.¹In reality, research has shown that adults with ADHD are as much as four times more likely to be fired from their jobs⁴ and twice as likely to get divorced.⁴ They're also at a greater risk of being involved in a serious car accident,⁴ save just $2 for every $10 that someone without ADHD saves,⁴ and are as much as six times more likely to experience depression.⁴

Improving the symptoms of ADHD in adults can significantly improve a person's quality of life,⁵ and luckily adult ADHD can be successfully treated and managed,⁹ with medication being well recognised as an important treatment strategy.⁴ The most common medications used to treat ADHD affect the balance of the brain chemicals that have been shown to play a role in the condition.⁴ By doing this, they encourage alert, focused attention while helping to shut out unwanted stimuli or responses at the same time.⁴

Together with medication, other techniques can help people manage and understand their ADHD. This includes participating in certain types of therapy and taking steps to improve organisational and 'time management' skills.⁴

For more information on ADHD in adulthood, and some useful tools and animations, see Adult ADHD.

References

Waitekus AB, Chang KM. Opportunities and Challenges in the Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Market. Spectrum, Therapy Markets and Emerging Technologies. Decision Resources; 14 November 2005.
Greydanus DE, Pratt HD, Patel DR. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder across the lifespan: The child, adolescent, and adult. Disease-a-Month. 2007; 53(2): 70-131.
Biederman J. Neurobiological overview of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. European Neuropsychopharmacology. 2007; 17(Suppl 4).
Barkley RA. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults: The Latest Assessment and Treatment Strategies. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers; 2009.
Feifel D. Commentary: Why diagnose and treat ADHD in Adults? Postgraduate Medicine. 2008; 120(3): 13-5.
Mak S. The role of genetic factors in adult ADHD. Press Conference at the 22^nd Congress of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology [media release]. European College of Neuropsychopharmacology. 15 September 2009 [cited 23 October 2009]. Available from URL: http://www.eurekalert.org/ pub_releases/ 2009-09/ econ-tro090809.php
Scott R. New brain research from the University of Melbourne shows links to stress in ADHD children [media release]. University of Melbourne. 4 December 2007 [cited 23 October 2009]. Available from URL: http://uninews.unimelb.edu.au/ view.php?articleID=4834
Barkley RA. Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete Authoritative Guide for Parents. New York: Guildford Publications; 2000.
Biederman J, Mick E, Surman C, Doyle R, Hammerness P, Harpold T, et al. A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of OROS methylphenidate in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Biological Psychiatry. 2006; 59(9): 829-35.

Article Date: 20/1/2010

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Comment from: john glennon | 10/28/2009 3:50:45 AM
As a former elementary school principal, I am quite aware that attention difficulties are just the tip of the iceberg. ADHD children can't filter out distractions, finish tasks on-time, use their memory optimally, etc. A pill doesn't teach these skills. My wife and I opted to use cognitive training for our son, Alex. We used Play Attention (www.playattention.com) and ADHD Nanny (www.adhdnanny.com). We've been very successful with these approaches. We also changed our parenting skills with great success. It's just important to know that medicine teaches nothing. Parents and teachers must actively participate to help change a child's life.

Comment from: Stephen | 10/28/2009 4:24:57 AM
Often... It is not out of the question for an ADHD Sufferer to have Enviro / Inhalant Allergies or Allergic ASTHMA. Think of Allergies as the persistent Fly that Circles over head > Driving you Nuts ... Allergies are in many respects the same when relating to your Child's Immune system. Which ( in the case of Allergy ) is constantly ratching up / ever present / edging up the Child's Immune system into high drive. In the case of ADHD, it is important to reduce / remove or cognitively suppress as many Distractors as possible. Thus .. if Allergies or allergic Asthma are Present in an ADHD individual .. it may be helpful to STOP Medicating Symptoms and Neutralize the Source of the individuals Allergy Disease with Blood Testing & ImmunoTherapy of Test ID'ed offending Enviro allergens.

Comment from: Kathy | 10/28/2009 11:48:48 AM
I am an adult who has ADHD, only diagnosed in April last year. I will soon be 35. Until my diagnosis and successful medication I had quit every job I had, enrolled in Tafe courses twice and quit them, and been accepted into and quit 2 University degrees. The difference the medication had made in my life is wonderful. I am back at uni, receiving credits and distinctions, and have not quit. My impulsive decision making has stopped, meaning I am saving money and working on my degree. Adult ADHD is real, and it was only with the diagnosis of ADHD in my daughter that I recognised the same behaviour in myself.

Comment from: Jerry | 10/28/2009 1:57:36 PM
No offense, Stephen, but ADHD is not caused by allergies, and thinking that it can be tamed by getting those under control is naive at best.

Comment from: Gina Pera | 11/2/2009 9:10:11 AM
Thanks for this informative, accurate article. Re: allergies. It's true that ADHD is not caused by allergies, but allergies can exacerbate ADHD symptoms. It also seems that, in general, people with ADHD have a higher-than-average vulnerability to allergies as well as asthma. Some experts surmise that, for a sub-population, this could relate to the ADHD neurobiology itself. Dopamine and other brain chemicals control our various physiological systems (autonomic nervous system, sympathetic nervous system, etc.).

Comment from: Pauline | 1/27/2010 10:26:22 PM
My son had ADHD as a child and was on medication but as an adult no longer takes anything. He has a terrible time concentrating and is very volatile. He cannot keep a job and cannot save .He also suffers from Asthma. If there is some medication for him I would like to know.