Question: Hello Dr. Faraone, 
  
  Thank you so much for doing this.
  
  I tried to read through all the questions and didn’t find a similar one, I’m sorry if this has been asked already.
  
  Do you know of any research specifically about people who menstruate and how hormonal fluctuations affect ADHD symptoms? 
  
  My experience has been that it worsens them, but I would love to read any research on this!
Answer: It is an important area that begs for more research. We know that sex hormones influence brain dopamine, which regulates ADHD symptoms. There are also data suggesting that maternal use of hormonal contraception is associated with a small increased risk for ADHD in the children. So, a biological connection is plausible. The research data are too sparse to conclude whether hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle affect ADHD symptoms or if ADHD can emerge during menopause, although both have been suggested in the research literature.  You can search for relevant articles at [PubMed.gov](https://PubMed.gov).
content: Q: Hello Dr. Faraone, 
  
  Thank you so much for doing this.
  
  I tried to read through all the questions and didn’t find a similar one, I’m sorry if this has been asked already.
  
  Do you know of any research specifically about people who menstruate and how hormonal fluctuations affect ADHD symptoms? 
  
  My experience has been that it worsens them, but I would love to read any research on this!
   Ans: It is an important area that begs for more research. We know that sex hormones influence brain dopamine, which regulates ADHD symptoms. There are also data suggesting that maternal use of hormonal contraception is associated with a small increased risk for ADHD in the children. So, a biological connection is plausible. The research data are too sparse to conclude whether hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle affect ADHD symptoms or if ADHD can emerge during menopause, although both have been suggested in the research literature.  You can search for relevant articles at [PubMed.gov](https://PubMed.gov).