Diagnosis rates are rising, and people everywhere are being prescribed medications with major side effects. But what if it's actually a misdiagnosis? We're talking, of course, about dementia.

Although dementia can look similar to ADHD and autism in older populations, treatment options are wildly different, and very few clinics perform ample screening to distinguish between these conditions. In this episode, we'll break down the similarities and differences. We'll also talk about the pitfalls of aging gracefully with ADHD and autism, so you and your loved ones can navigate the complexities armed with knowledge.

Sources

• Survey about menopause with ADHD
• Stories about aging with autism 
• Meta-analysis about aging well with autism
• Video about aging with ADHD by Kathleen Nadeau, Ph.D. 
• Clinics rarely screen for ADHD in older populations
• Study on ADHD and dementia risk
• Common conditions that look like dementia
• Up to 13% of diagnosed dementia cases are actually liver failure
• ADHDers have poor autobiographical memory
• ADHD memories don't have context about time or location 
• Dementia side effects reported by pharmacists and caretakers
• Severe side effects to dementia anti-psychotic drugs
• Severe side effects from anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody medications for dementia 
• Only 31% of ADHDers would be eligible for a randomized controlled trial about ADHD meds