Diagnosis of developmental learning and attention disorders in adults: A review of clinical modalities

ADHD and the specific learning disorders of dyslexia and dyscalculia form a class of neurodevelopmental disorders which are often undiagnosed in childhood, especially for adults born before these disorders were recognized. Recent research has revealed that the symptoms of these disorders can persist across the lifespan and cause substantial disabilities in work, school, and personal life. Moreover, these disorders may influence how neurodegenerative disease symptoms and pathology begin and spread. Despite the proliferation of diagnostic instruments for assessing ADHD and learning disorder during childhood, however, availability of validated modalities for the adult population is significantly limited. This is a critical research gap given the considerable adult disease burden (up to 6% of the population), the differences between adult and pediatric presentation, and the fact that the most promising treatments for neurodegenerative diseases will be initiated in minimally symptomatic adults. In this review, we describe the available self-report scales, neuropsychological tests, and structural imaging and genetic biomarkers that may allow accurate identification of adults with ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia. Discussion of these instruments may provide clinicians with a set of tools to reduce cognitive disability in educational, occupational, and medical populations.