ADHD in the News 2025-12-18
Study links ADHD to a measurable brain activity pattern, with early signs it may be modifiable
A new study suggests that children with ADHD may exhibit a distinctive, measurable pattern of brain activity that could reflect differences in neural efficiency. The researchers focus on aperiodic EEG activity, proposing it as a potentially more consistent marker than some commonly used EEG measures.
TikTok’s mental health ‘rabbit hole’? It’s not in your head.
TikTok’s algorithm favors mental health content over many other topics, including politics, cats and Taylor Swift, according to a Washington Post analysis.
ADHD: girls’ symptoms are often missed in school because they don’t fit stereotypes – new research
Many girls with ADHD aren’t diagnosed until their late teens or adulthood. My recent research points to a possible explanation for this. The study, published with my colleague Sorcha Walsh, found that while many of the women we interviewed may have displayed signs of ADHD while at school, these weren’t interpreted as such. This misrecognition not only meant that most waited years for a diagnosis – it also had long-term impacts on their sense of self.
California telehealth firm, Florida medical practice indicted in alleged illegal Adderall distribution scheme
A California digital health company and a Florida medical practice have been indicted in an alleged $100 million scheme to illegally distribute Adderall over the internet to patients across the country who didn't need it, federal prosecutors said Wednesday. The U.S. Department of Justice said in a press release that San Francisco-based Done Global is charged with one count of conspiracy to illegally distribute Adderall, four counts of illegal distribution of Adderall, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
How Microgiving This Holiday Season Can Help Those With ADHD
Key points: Small acts of kindness reduce holiday stress for people with ADHD and raise dopamine levels. Microgiving creates brief, meaningful connections that support self-worth and reduce social anxiety. Small acts of kindness initiate an upward emotional spiral without requiring sustained effort or planning. Microgiving counters negative patterns of criticism, judgment and isolation by reminding you that you belong.
Childhood maltreatment leaves genetic scars tied to lifelong mental health risks
A research team led by the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), has conducted a pioneering study that established a causal link between childhood maltreatment (CM) and various neuropsychiatric disorders.
Parents’ Anxiety Linked to Lower Grades in Children With ADHD
Children with ADHD often have a hard time in school, not because they aren’t smart, but because attention, organization, and self-control don’t come easily to them. What’s less obvious is how much parents’ emotional well-being can affect their children’s academic performance over time.
Why are so many not taking their ADHD medication?
Despite evidence that ADHD medication reduces symptom severity—at least in the short-term—and that it is the first and most common treatment offered to adults once they receive their ADHD diagnosis, adherence to medication (taking it when prescribed it) is poor, and around half of adults will stop taking medication entirely within a year. The critical question is why are many not taking their ADHD medication?
ADHD’s “stuck in the present” nature may be rooted in specific brain network communication
A recent study has identified a potential brain-based explanation for the connection between future-oriented thinking and the characteristics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. The research suggests that the strength of communication between specific brain networks is linked to a person’s ability to plan for the future, which in turn is associated with the severity of inattention and hyperactivity.
Combining brain scans and gene data improves prediction of ADHD impulsivity
Researchers have identified specific coupled patterns of brain activity and gene expression that help explain impulsive behavior in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. By analyzing these two distinct types of biological data together, the study demonstrates that the combination predicts behavioral symptoms more accurately than looking at either brain scans or genetic information in isolation.
Study reveals shared genetic roots across multiple psychiatric disorders
Distinct psychiatric disorders have more in common biologically than previously believed, according to the largest and most detailed analysis to date of how genes influence mental illness. The study, led by University of Colorado Boulder and Mass General Brigham researchers, could inform efforts to improve the way psychological disorders are diagnosed and provide insight for developing novel treatments that address multiple disorders at once.
Audio-augmented wearable aims to improve mindfulness
In brief: A new device consists of two microphones strapped to the wrists, which gather sounds produced by the hands and channel enhanced audio to earbuds. In experiments, participants who used the device reported a higher level of mindfulness. They also spent more time on their activities and showed more trial-and-error behaviors. The researchers are considering how this device might be useful in clinical or therapeutic settings, such as applications related to anxiety disorders and ADHD.
PR firm ‘harassed’ worker with ADHD after boss called her ‘disorganised’ for missing meetings, tribunal rules
A judge found the use of the term “disorganised” to refer to a colleague counts as harassment as it could “undermine” a colleague and “violate" their dignity. It comes after Nicole Hogger, a PR account manager, claimed she was treated unfairly following her ADHD diagnosis. She argued that her employer was responsible for disability harassment, disability discrimination and unfair constructive dismissal - and she is now set to receive compensation from Suffolk-based company Genesis PR.
Family dogs’ ADHD-like traits are linked to learning and self-control
In two newly published studies, researchers at the Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University (Hungary) investigated how family dogs' ADHD-like traits relate to their learning and self-control. Dogs resemble humans in many ways—even traits similar to human Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can naturally appear in them and can be assessed through validated questionnaires developed by the research group. Their recent findings not only highlight parallels between dog and human behavior but also offer practical insights for dog training.