ADHD symptom prevalence across clinical stages of MDD

MDD and ADHD are often seen clinically as comorbid disorders, with prevalence rates as high as 55%;^1-⁴ One meta-analysis including 19 studies found a prevalence of depressive disorders in people with ADHD ranging from 8.6–55%, compared with a prevalence of 1.2–12.5% in the general population⁴
Current MDD increases the risk of probable ADHD by 4.5 times⁵
Inattention in MDD is distinct from ADHD, as in depression concentration difficulties are more prominent during a depressive episode⁶
Interestingly, the prevalence of ADHD symptoms appears to be linked to the clinical stage of MDD, with a peak of prevalence during Stage 4 (chronic depressive disorder, characterised by severe, persistent, or unremitting illness)⁵

ADHD=attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder; MDD=major depressive disorder