Impactos do diagnóstico tardio em adultos com Transtorno do Déficit de Atenção e Hiperatividade: implicações clínicas, psicossociais e neurobiológicas

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is conventionally diagnosed in childhood; however, emerging evidence indicates that a substantial proportion of cases remain undetected until adulthood, resulting in significant implications for adaptive functioning and psychosocial well-being. This study aimed to synthesize evidence regarding the impacts of late diagnosis in adults with ADHD, analyzing neurobiological, clinical, and psychosocial consequences. An integrative literature review was conducted in PubMed, BVS/SciELO, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases, encompassing publications from 2019 to 2024. The findings demonstrate that late diagnosis is associated with increased psychiatric comorbidity, including mood and anxiety disorders, occupational and financial deterioration, compromised interpersonal relationships, and heightened risk for self-medication and substance dependency. Neurobiologically, persistent deficits in emotional self-regulation, executive processing, and prefrontal functional integration characterize the adult ADHD phenotype. Multi-modal interventions demonstrated efficacy in mitigating symptoms and promoting psychosocial adjustment in late-diagnosed populations. It is concluded that early recognition of ADHD in adults, through validated screening instruments and expanded clinical awareness, constitutes a public health imperative with significant repercussions on life trajectories.