Individuals with PCOS are 1.7-2.3x more likely to have a child with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and have an increased likelihood of having ADHD themselves.[1],[2],[3]  

In this article we explore the link between PCOS and ADHD.

ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders and can impact an individual in many areas of their life.[4]  It is associated with symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.[5]  Women with ADHD often go undiagnosed into their teens or into adulthood, leading to poor self-esteem and mental health problems as they seek to mask their differences from others.[6]

PCOS is associated with elevated levels of androgens[7], sex hormones that are produced in the ovaries, start at puberty and play a key role in reproductive health.[8]  Find out more about PCOS and Androgen Excess.

Biological children of mothers with PCOS are therefore exposed in utero (within the womb) to elevated levels of androgens.[9]  Although the specific mechanisms are not well understood, this exposure to elevated androgens is believed to alter the development and functioning of certain parts of the brain:[10],[11],[12]

• Planum temporale, associated with language, with a change in behavioral functioning leading to increased levels of impulsivity and/or defiance;[13],[14],[15]

• Superior temporal sulcus, involved in face-processing, with a change in reward-system responsiveness to facial cues affecting empathy;[16],[17] and

• Temporo-parietal junction, associated with theory of mind, with a change in ability to shift and/or sustain attention.[18],[19],[20]

Find out more about PCOS and epigenetics, how genetic expression can be affected by the environment, including in utero.

Other risk factors for ADHD include:[21]

• Close relatives, such as parent or sibling, with ADHD or another mental health disorder;

• Exposure to environmental toxins such as lead;

• Maternal drug use, alcohol use or smoking during pregnancy; and

• Premature birth.

  
  

Want to learn more about mental health conditions related to PCOS?  Check out the sections on autism, depression and anxiety.

Reviewed by Riya Ganguly PhD., MBA, ICD.D, expert on technology transfer, new venture development and research facilitation

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Sources

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8841975/pdf/cep-2021-00178.pdf

[2] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1032315/full

[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8841975/

[4] https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd

[5] https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd

[6] https://chadd.org/adhd-news/adhd-news-adults/how-the-gender-gap-leaves-girls-and-women-undertreated-for-adhd/

[7] https://www.uptodate.com/contents/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-beyond-the-basics/.

[8] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22002-androgens

[9] https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(21)00004-8?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS1550413121000048%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

[10] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8841975/

[11] https://www.pcosnutrition.com/adhd/

[12] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41398-018-0186-7

[13] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22763187/

[14] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1032315/full

[15] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/planum-temporale

[16] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22763187/

[17] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4639954/

[18] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22763187/

[19] https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2022.1032315/full

[20] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4109587/

[21] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adhd/symptoms-causes/syc-20350889