Research summary
Two million Canadians live with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), making it the most common neurodevelopmental condition. Although it is often associated with learning disabilities in childhood, it is most prevalent in adults aged 18 to 64 years. Despite this, adults and seniors with ADHD remain critically understudied compared to younger people. Given Canada’s aging population, it is critical that we better understand how individuals with this condition will experience aging. This will help improve brain health in later life and ensure those with ADHD age well. As Canada Research Chair in Adult Clinical Neuropsychology, Dr. Brandy Callahan’s aim is to uncover this knowledge.
She and her research team are using observational cross-sectional and longitudinal designs to generate high-quality knowledge of cognitive health and well-being among aging individuals with neurodiversities like ADHD. Ultimately, Callahan’s findings will enable the development of community services to support the brain health of Canadians with ADHD.