1. Astenvald R, Frick MA, Kleberg JL, Isaksson J. Adaptive and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation in child- and adolescent ADHD. Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2026; 26(1): 100660.

BACKGROUND: Children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience difficulties with emotion regulation. Specific use of cognitive emotion regulation strategies may contribute to these challenges, albeit research in this area remain limited. METHOD: Self-rated and task-specific use of adaptive and maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies was assessed in children and adolescents with ADHD and typically developing controls (N=176, 10-17 years, 55.1% girls; subsample for self-rated use: N=94, 13-17 years, 61.7% girls). Self-rated use was measured with the short version of the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Task-specific use was assessed by an experimental task involving viewing emotion-eliciting photos. Regression analyses were utilized to assess associations between ADHD and cognitive emotion regulation. Effects of sex and age were explored. Adjustments were made for co-occurring psychiatric symptoms. RESULTS: ADHD was associated with lower self-rated (β =-0.21, p = .044) and task-specific (β =-0.09, p = .015) use of adaptive strategies, and greater use of self-rated maladaptive strategies (β =0.27, p = .010). No associations remained after adjusting for co-occurring psychiatric symptoms and multiple comparisons. Rather, depressive symptoms may contribute to the self-rated use of maladaptive strategies. Post-hoc analyses revealed that ADHD was robustly linked to less self-rated use of acceptance (β =-0.38, p = .005). CONCLUSION: Lower use of self-rated acceptance may be characteristic for ADHD. Depressive symptoms may play a more vital role for maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation than ADHD. More studies are needed to explore the longitudinal relation between ADHD, emotion regulation and depression.

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2. Brown C. Is paracetamol in pregnancy a risk factor for ADHD?. Nature. 2026.

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3. Corbo D, Grandi LC. Neurobiological Convergence in SPDs and ADHD: Insights from a Narrative Review. Biology (Basel). 2026; 15(2).

The sensory system plays a critical role in development, as it enables the processing and integration of internal and external stimuli. Dysfunctions in this system lead to sensory processing disorders (SPDs), which affect approximately 5-13% of children aged 4-6 years, impacting not only sensory responsiveness but also social interaction, emotional regulation, motor coordination, learning, attention, communication, and sleep. Although SPDs have been extensively investigated from molecular to behavioral levels, their underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain debated, and reliable biomarkers are still lacking. Moreover, due to overlapping behavioral manifestations, SPDs are frequently misdiagnosed as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), leading to challenges in accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. This narrative review aims to synthesize current evidence on the neurofunctional and molecular underpinnings of SPDs in relation to ADHD, providing an integrated perspective on their converging and diverging pathways. By comparing neuroimaging and neurophysiological findings across the two conditions, we seek to deepen understanding of their shared mechanisms, clarify diagnostic boundaries, and inform the development of targeted, evidence-based interventions to address a critical gap in the field.

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4. Dolgin E. Why teens with ADHD are so vulnerable to the perils of social media. Nature. 2026.

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5. Giacobini M, Zhao J, Freilich J, Brünner C, Wallin Bernhardsson N, Ahnemark E. Medication Adherence in Children and Adults Receiving Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Sweden: A Nationwide Study. J Atten Disord. 2026: 10870547251406760.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the adherence of children and adults to oral stimulant ADHD treatments in Sweden during the period 2015 to 2020. METHODS: This retrospective, nationwide, register-based study evaluated all patients who were dispensed oral formulation stimulants (Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical [ATC] codes: N06BA01, N06BA02, N06BA04, N06BA12) identified in the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register. Treatment episodes were constructed based on drug dispensation data, and treatment adherence was calculated for each treatment episode using a Proportion of Days Covered approach with a modified one-pill-a-day method. RESULTS: Between 2015 and 2020, 158,413 treatment episodes were recorded in 128,366 patients, corresponding to a median 1.23 treatment episodes per patient. The majority of treatment episodes involved methylphenidate (64.0%), followed by lisdexamfetamine (32.2%), dexamfetamine (3.0%), and amphetamine (0.8%). Overall treatment adherence was high (78.2%), and was similar for patients receiving methylphenidate, lisdexamfetamine, and dexamfetamine. The proportion of patients with ≥80% medication adherence was high (69.3%-71.8%) for adults aged ≥25 years, but was low for adolescents aged 12 to 17 years (49.7%-52.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The overall rates of treatment adherence are high for children and adults receiving ADHD medication in Sweden. We observed lower adherence among adolescents, which warrants further study.

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6. Jones N. ADHD treatments move beyond stimulants. Nature. 2026.

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7. Madhusoodanan J. Untangling the connection between dopamine and ADHD. Nature. 2026.

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8. Makin S. Six highlights from ADHD research. Nature. 2026.

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9. Owens B. ADHD is on the rise, but why?. Nature. 2026.

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10. Palmer RF, Kattari D. Chemical Intolerance Is Associated with Autism Spectrum and Attention Deficit Disorders: A Five-Country Cross-National Replication Analysis. J Xenobiot. 2026; 16(1).

BACKGROUND: Chemical Intolerance (CI), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) are conditions with rising incidence rates not fully explained by greater awareness or changes in diagnostic practices. It is now generally accepted that the interaction between genetic and environmental exposures plays a role in all of these conditions. Prior studies show that these conditions co-occur. This study seeks to explore previous findings using an international sample. METHODS: A five-country (N = 5000) stratified panel survey was used to assess self-reported CI in themselves, and ASD and ADHD in their children. A generalized linear model was used to estimate Odds Ratios. Age- and sex-adjusted logistic models used CI as a predictor of ASD and ADHD in separate models. RESULTS: Compared to those classified as Low CI, High levels of CI were associated with greater Odds Ratios (OR) of reporting a child with ASD and ADHD in all countries except Japan. Italy, India, and the USA had over twice the OR of reporting a child with ASD. Mexico had over 1.9 times the OR. The results with ADHD are similar to the ASD results. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study are consistent with two prior U.S. studies, showing an association between ASD and ADHD among women who have CI. However, cross-cultural comparisons, especially prevalence estimates for ASD and ADHD, cannot be interpreted as epidemiologic rates due to serious limitations of the survey methodology. No causal relationship should be inferred from this study.

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11. Rowney-Smith A, Sutton B, Quadt L, Eccles JA. The lived experience of rejection sensitivity in ADHD – A qualitative exploration. PLoS One. 2026; 21(1): e0314669.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition, commonly associated with differences in attention, and/or hyperactivity and impulsiveness. A lesser known, but highly impactful characteristic of ADHD is emotional dysregulation, which causes difficulties in emotional expression and identification. An aspect of emotional dysregulation which remains relatively unexplored in ADHD, is rejection sensitivity. In people who experience rejection sensitivity, perceived rejection and/or criticism can evoke extreme dysphoria. To investigate the lived experience of rejection sensitivity in ADHD individuals, five undergraduate students participated in focus-group interviews. The subsequent thematic analysis revealed three key themes which encapsulated their experiences; withdrawal, masking, and bodily sensations. The participants explained how rejection sensitivity elicited unpleasant bodily sensations, anxiety, and misery, and how, in turn, they used masking to camouflage these feelings. They then discussed how the use of masking had caused them to become dissociated from themselves and to withdraw from others, which often resulted in loneliness. It was apparent that rejection sensitivity significantly impacts mental wellbeing, eliciting feelings such as anxiousness, despair, and embarrassment. In turn, social function is significantly impaired, alongside career opportunities, and daily life. Our findings indicate a need for deeper understanding of ADHD traits and emotional dysregulation, which may in turn lessen the presence of rejection sensitivity in ADHD individuals.

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12. Shi B, Mou H, Chen Z, He C, Zhang M, Zhang Z, Zheng H, Wang J, Quan M. Independent and joint associations of physical activity and sleep with ADHD in a population-based sample of children: A cross-sectional study. Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2026; 99: 119-28.

BACKGROUND: This study examines the independent and joint associations of physical activity (PA) and sleep with ADHD prevalence and severity. METHODS: Data from the 2016-2023 National Survey of Children’s Health were used in this population-based, cross-sectional study. All measures were parent-reported. PA was categorized by weekly guideline-meeting days (≥60 min/day). Sleep duration, regularity, and ADHD severity were classified as short/optimal/long (age-specific), four-level, and three-level, respectively. Weighted multivariable logistic and ordinal regression models were used to examine the associations of PA and sleep with ADHD prevalence and severity. RESULTS: This study analyzed 98,182 adolescents aged 13-17, including 13,258 with ADHD. PA, sleep duration, and sleep regularity were independently associated with ADHD (all P < 0.05). Significant interactions between PA and sleep duration/regularity were observed for ADHD prevalence (P < 0.05), but not for ADHD severity. Compared to children with long sleep and 0 weekly PA days, those with optimal sleep and ≥ 1 weekly PA days had lower ADHD odds, with the lowest in the "optimal sleep and daily PA" group (OR = 0.32, 95% CI:0.21-0.51). Better sleep regularity plus more PA-meeting weekly days was linked to lower ADHD odds, with the lowest in the "always regular sleep and daily PA" group (OR = 0.25, 95% CI:0.18-0.36). CONCLUSION: Even occasional engagement in regular PA was associated with lower odds of ADHD in children. Improving sleep regularity is as important as ensuring optimal sleep duration. Combining sufficient PA with healthy sleep habits showed the strongest association, underscoring the value of an integrated lifestyle approach to understanding childhood health risks.

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13. Smit S, Normand S, Mikami AY. Parent Mental Health and Engagement in Parenting Interventions for Child ADHD. Res Child Adolesc Psychopathol. 2026; 54(1): 11.

Parenting interventions are a front-line treatment for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, many parents of children with ADHD have elevated ADHD or depressive symptoms, which may impede their ability to engage in and benefit from such interventions. This secondary data analysis examined associations between parent mental health, treatment engagement, and parenting-related treatment outcomes within a randomized trial of 172 families of children with ADHD. Families received either Parental Friendship Coaching (PFC; a behavioral parent training program) or Coping with ADHD through Relationships and Education (CARE; a parent psychoeducation and social support intervention); both were parenting interventions that aimed to support parents to improve children’s ADHD-related social impairments. Higher parent self-reported ADHD symptoms at baseline were associated with lower home practice completion in PFC, potentially greater perceived group social support in PFC, and higher attendance in CARE. In contrast, parent depressive symptoms were not associated with engagement in either intervention. Overall, higher parent ADHD or depressive symptoms demonstrated few associations with parenting behavior treatment outcomes at post-treatment or 8-month follow-up, and observed effects were both positive and negative in PFC and CARE. It is possible that accessibility-focused adaptations to PFC and CARE reduced the impact of higher parent mental health symptoms on poorer engagement and parenting treatment outcomes. Nevertheless, the generally low levels of ADHD and depressive symptoms in the sample limit the ability to detect possible stronger associations.

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14. Stott J, O’Nions E, Corrigan L, Cotton J, Donnellan WJ, Nimmons D, Shelford H, El Baou C, Stewart GR, Cheung RW, Desai R, McKechnie DGJ, Eshetu A, Saunders R, Suh JW, Mandy W, Gaysina D, Asherson P, Agnew-Blais J, John A. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Traits in Childhood and Physical Health in Midlife. JAMA Netw Open. 2026; 9(1): e2554802.

IMPORTANCE: Although attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been associated with various health risks, most research has focused on children and young adults, leaving long-term physical health outcomes of ADHD traits underexplored. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between childhood ADHD traits and physical health outcomes in midlife and the role health risk factors play in this association. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cohort study included data from the nationally representative, population-based 1970 British Cohort Study. The cohort included people born in England, Scotland, and Wales during the same week in 1970, with follow-up data collected over 46 years. Participants were excluded from the analysis if missing data on 1 or more key variables (sex, ADHD traits, social class, and ethnicity) assessed. The data analysis was performed between February and July 2025. EXPOSURE: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder traits at age 10 years as assessed using a validated measure derived from childhood behavior questionnaires. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Outcomes were self-reported health conditions, multimorbidity (2 or more co-occurring physical health conditions), and physical health-related disability by age 46 years. Cox proportional hazards models were used to test whether ADHD traits at age 10 years were associated with hazards of multimorbidity up to age 46 years. Health risk factors, including smoking, alcohol use, psychological distress, higher body mass index, and lower educational attainment from age 26 to 46 years, were examined using path models. RESULTS: A total of 10 930 participants were included in the main analyses (all aged 46 years; 51.0% women). Higher childhood ADHD traits were associated with more physical health conditions (b = 0.10; 95% CI, 0.07-0.13), increased odds of physical multimorbidity (odds ratio, 1.14, 95% CI, 1.08-1.19), and greater physical health-related disability (b = 3.17; 95% CI, 2.27-4.07) by age 46 years. There were no sex interactions for physical health conditions and multimorbidity. However, the association between ADHD traits and physical health-related disability showed a larger effect size in women (b = 4.07; 95% CI, 2.67-5.48) than in men (b = 2.37; 95% CI, 1.24-3.51). Participants who had a high likelihood of meeting ADHD criteria in childhood (5.5%) had an estimated probability of 42.1% (95% CI, 38.2%-46.1%) of physical multimorbidity by age 46 years compared with 37.5% (95% CI, 36.6%-38.4%) for those without high ADHD traits. Indirect associations were observed through smoking, psychological distress, and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This cohort study found that high ADHD traits in childhood were associated with poorer physical health outcomes in midlife, with health risk factors explaining part of this association. Addressing modifiable risk factors may help mitigate long-term health disparities in people with ADHD. Intervention is needed across the life course to support the health and well-being of people with ADHD.

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15. Subasi Turgut F. Recurrent Suicidality Following Rechallenge with Phosphatidylserine and Citicoline in a Pediatric ADHD Patient Treated with Methylphenidate: A Cautionary Case Report. Psychiatry Clin Psychopharmacol. 2025.

Citicoline and phosphatidylserine are considered safe compounds with potential cognitive and behavioral benefits in the management of attentiondeficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, their safety profiles have not been sufficiently characterized. A case is presented of a 7-year-old boy with ADHD who developed marked irritability, agitation, and a suicide attempt shortly after starting a combination of methylphenidate, phosphatidylserine (100 mg/day), and citicoline (250 mg/day). During the clinical stabilization period, when the family restarted the phosphatidylserine and citicoline combination against medical advice, the patient experienced similar side effects and suicidal thoughts; however, these symptoms completely resolved after discontinuation of the supplements. Although citicoline and phosphatidylserine are generally well-tolerated, this case highlights the potential for serious side effects in sensitive pediatric patients, particularly when used concomitantly with stimulants. The temporal relationship between the initiation of supplementation and the onset of symptoms, as well as the resolution of symptoms following discontinuation, suggests a possible causal relationship. It may be beneficial to review mood symptoms and conduct a risk assessment before adding such supplements.

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16. Todorovic L, Baumer J, Larsen H. ADHD symptoms and problematic digital media use in emerging adults: Investigating the role of cognitive deficits as mediators. Addict Behav. 2026; 175: 108608.

This study examined the relationship between ADHD symptoms and problematic social media use (PSMU) and problematic gaming (PG) in a community sample of emerging adults. Cognitive deficits underlying ADHD – inhibitory control deficits, reward sensitivity, and temporal processing deficits – were investigated as potential mechanisms linking ADHD symptoms to PSMU and PG. In a sample of 111 emerging adults (M(age) = 21.2, SD = 2.7; 84% female), ADHD symptoms, PSMU, and PG were assessed using self-report scales, while cognitive deficits were evaluated through both self-report scales and behavioural tasks. Parallel mediation analyses revealed significant positive direct effects between ADHD symptoms and both PSMU and PG, but found no significant mediating effects of the hypothesised mechanisms. Exploratory analyses suggested that inhibitory control and temporal processing deficits may play a role in linking hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms to PSMU, and inhibitory control deficits emerged as a possible transdiagnostic factor for concurrent ADHD symptoms and PSMU. Nonetheless, the main analyses did not support mediation by cognitive deficits, indicating no evidence that they explained the associations between ADHD symptoms and problematic digital media use. Future research may explore such prospective mechanisms in longitudinal designs with representative samples to inform interventions which may reduce problematic digital media use in individuals with elevated ADHD symptoms.

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17. Wei J, Zheng Z, Zheng Y, Hou K, Pan X, Li X, Qiu Y, Han M. The relationship between mode of delivery and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: a meta-analysis and systematic review. PeerJ. 2026; 14: e20603.

BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder in children, with an etiology that remains incompletely understood. Recent studies have suggested that the mode of delivery, particularly cesarean section (C-section), may be associated with an increased risk of ADHD. This study aims to examine whether children born via C-section are at increased risk of developing ADHD using both cohort and case-control data. METHODS: We included observational studies (case-control or cohort) that examined the association between mode of delivery and ADHD in children. Inclusion criteria were: (a) ADHD diagnosed using standardized tools; (b) assessment of the relationship between C-section and ADHD; (c) availability of effect estimates (ORs with 95% CIs). Exclusion criteria were: (a) duplicate or overlapping data; (b) unavailable full text; (c) no extractable effect estimates. Literature searches were conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and VIP. Data were extracted using Excel and analyzed in R Studio with the meta, metabias, and metainf packages to pool the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for the association between C-section and the occurrence of ADHD. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). RESULTS: A total of 14 studies were included, consisting of six case-control and eight cohort studies across 10 countries in Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Australia. ADHD diagnoses were based on DSM-IV or ICD-10. Most studies adjusted for key confounders such as maternal age (57.14%), child’s sex (50.00%), and gestational factors (35.71%). The pooled ORs were 1.44 (95% CI [1.04-1.25]) for case-control studies and 1.12 (95% CI [1.10-1.15]) for cohort studies. All studies scored ≥ 7 on the NOS. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggests that C-section is associated with a moderately increased risk of ADHD in children. Both elective and emergency C-sections showed similar effects. However, limitations such as study heterogeneity, potential publication bias, and lack of genetic or biological mechanism data are to be acknowledged. Further research is needed to clarify causality and explore underlying mechanisms.

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18. Wilson N. Why ADHD goes undiagnosed in girls. Nature. 2026.

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