Are we destined for Alzheimer’s? | ADHD Information

About 5 years ago my Grandmother, at age 89, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. She is the Grandmother that I strongly suspect had the inatentive type of ADHD (she is now deceased).

My mom didn't beleive the diagnosis of Alzheimer's. She thought that all of my Grandmothers ailments were due to the side effects of all the medication she had been put on and kept on over the years. It could be that my mom was just in deniel, I don't know.

Has anyone read anything about ADHD being linked to Alzheimer's later in life?

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Nothing I've seen says that there's even a small connection.  They both have memory troubles, emotional issues and other similarities but so does thyroid troubles and bipolar disorder and they aren't connected either.

Alzheimers is a terrible disease but it's by no means a certain thing even in a family with history.  They've done a study that people who exercise well into their senior years give a double dose of resistance to it.  They say it doesn't matter what kind of exercise just that it's done!  Something about keeping plaques off the brain.  A study a few years back following cloistered nuns found that the nuns that read a variety of material every day had also a double resistance to alzheimers.  So there is hope.

No I think one is one and there is no connection. Breathe a little bit easier ok?  I know it sucks but it's a reality we have to deal with every now and then.

 

 Yep, Lets give the big A, the BIG A!!  I know a friend of mine, in her late 80's who's mind and personality are still perfectly intact...she's into sudoku; crosswords and online solitaire etc and is an inspiring Christian; a pleasure and inspiration to be around.  Naturally limited in body of course, but top health for her age. So, regular activity and healthy social contact is certainly paying off in her case anyway. Besides, I knew some folk of similar age at a church I once attended some years back and not one of them appeared deteriorated but instead, so positive, alert and happy.

I know my 87 year old grandmother has had ADHD her whole life, but she can still beat me at scrabble by 60 points at least.  Been trying to win just ONCE my entire life.I know of no known link between ADHD and a predisposition to Alzheimer's in later life. I can tell you what i do have knowledge of; people who are creative, above average intelligence, very active have been found to live more interesting lives and live longer. Hey! that profile remind u of any group(ADHDers) for instance!!!
That question of yours is a good one and had been on my mind several times before i was formally diagnosed in 2004. I dismissed it as it did not fit with the profile of ADHD as I understand it.

The medical community has surmised that it's possible that alzheimers' is a result of the fact that our fragile bodies weren't designed by nature to last as long as we keep them these days. The plaque that either causes it or is a major sign of it anyway may be a natural by-product of aging. 

By keeping ourselves active physically and mentally it seems the plaque is reduced when they autopsy after death.  So maybe just keeping it working is all that is needed?  Not actually as many fit seniors still get it.

Oh it's too damn complicated.  But if they can find a way to keep a 70 year old's mr. happy ... happy, then I'm sure they'll find out how to keep us alive there.

[QUOTE=GlenW]

No I think one is one and there is no connection. Breathe a little bit easier ok?

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Thanks, I am . I have also read about the huge benefits of physical exercise on the brain and I intend to always be regularly physically active. I love to research and read about different things all the time, so..I won't wonder or worry about Alz.. anymore!

Use it and ya won't loose it