Case of mistaken patterns: Slow brain development linked to ADHD for years might just be sex differences

 ADHD in the News 2026-05-28


Figuring out the causes of why children develop attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been on scientists' radar for a few decades now. A common notion that has been around for nearly 20 years is that ADHD is caused by a delayed maturation of the brain's cortex, the outermost layer of gray matter. A recent study challenges this long-held belief. Researchers analyzed more than 26,000 MRI scans from 11,025 adolescents and found that at first the data appeared to show a link between ADHD and slower brain development. However, once the sex differences were accounted for, the connection disappeared, suggesting that previous studies misinterpreted normal developmental differences between males and females for ADHD-related delays.

View Article: Medical Xpress, May 26, 2026




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