“Late-onset” ADHD symptoms in young adulthood: is this ADHD?

OBJECTIVE: We investigated whether “late-onset” ADHD that emerges in adolescence/adulthood is similar in risk factor profile to: 1) child-onset ADHD, but emerges later because of scaffolding/compensation from childhood resources; and 2) depression, because it typically onsets in adolescence/adulthood and shows symptom and genetic overlaps with ADHD. METHODS: We examined associations between late-onset ADHD and ADHD risk factors, cognitive tasks, childhood resources and depression risk factors in a population-based cohort follow-up to age 25 years (N=4224-9764). RESULTS: Parent-rated late-onset ADHD was like child-onset persistent ADHD in associations with ADHD polygenic risk scores and cognitive task performance, although self-rated late-onset ADHD was not. Late-onset ADHD was associated with higher levels of childhood resources than child-onset ADHD and did not show strong evidence of association with depression risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Late-onset ADHD shares characteristics with child-onset ADHD when parent-rated, but differences for self-reports require investigation. Childhood resources may delay the onset of ADHD.