A new study from King’s College London has highlighted a connection between the severity of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and the intensity of menopause complaints. Published in the Journal of Attention Disorders, the research explored whether women with ADHD experience different menopausal challenges compared with those without, and how medication use may influence these experiences.

The study involved 656 women aged 45 to 60, including 245 with an ADHD diagnosis. Participants completed detailed questionnaires assessing ADHD symptoms and a range of menopausal factors such as sleep, memory, concentration, hot flushes and quality of life. While the research found that women with ADHD did not generally report more menopausal difficulties than those without, a clear correlation emerged: across all participants, more severe ADHD symptoms were linked with greater menopausal complaints.

Interestingly, medication use appeared to influence the pattern of difficulties. Among women with ADHD not taking treatment, symptom severity was tied mainly to anxiety, low mood, memory and concentration. For those on medication, ADHD traits were instead linked to wider wellbeing issues, psychosocial challenges, and the day-to-day disruption caused by hot flushes and night sweats.

Professor Ellie Dommett, senior author of the study, said the findings suggest that ADHD may shape how women interpret and attribute their menopausal symptoms. She emphasised that better understanding this overlap is essential to improving support for women managing both ADHD and menopause.