Cited by 101Attention Deficit Hyperactivity DisorderPharmaceutical studies and practicesNeuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations

The female side of pharmacotherapy for ADHD—A systematic literature review

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Kok, Francien M., Groen, Yvonne, Fuermaier, Anselm B. M., Tucha, Oliver·2020·PLOS ONE

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This comprehensive review examined sex differences in prescription rates and efficacy or effectiveness of pharmacotherapy treatment in girls and women with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), while identifying gaps in the scientific knowledge on this topic. METHOD: A rigorous electronic database search was carried out in order to identify all published studies on female-specific effects of stimulants and non-stimulants in the treatment of ADHD. In total, 2672 studies were screened of which 21 studies (seven on prescription rates, 14 on effects of pharmacotherapy) met the inclusion criteria and were included for analysis. RESULTS: In all seven studies on ADHD prescription rates, girls received significantly less prescriptions than boys, a difference however no longer seen in adults with the exception of one study. Each of the 14 studies on effectiveness / efficacy found at least one sex-difference in the effects of ADHD pharmacotherapy. CONCLUSION: Several sex-differences are demonstrated in the prescription, usage and efficacy /effectiveness of both stimulant and non-stimulant ADHD pharmacotherapy. A single daily use of MPH may possibly not be optimal for girls with ADHD and ATX may be a promising medication for girls and women with ADHD. The robustness of this result requires further investigation.

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Crossref · 10.1371/journal.pone.0239257

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  • During periods of low oestrogen, increased ADHD symptoms and decreased response to psychostimulant medication have been described.

    “Additionally, during periods of low oestrogen, increased ADHD symptoms [30,41,91,92] and decreased response to psychostimulant medication [25,42,93,94,95] have been described.”

    From A Female-Specific Treatment Group for ADHD—Description of the Programme and Qualitative Analysis of First Experiences (2024) · cites this paper as [25]

    The Discussion (Prescription rates; page not provided) says that fluctuating oestrogen and progesterone levels can affect stimulant response at different points in the menstrual cycle. It does not identify low-oestrogen periods as periods of decreased medication response or increased ADHD symptoms. (LLM, conf=0.82)

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  • There is a dire need for female-specific treatment options for ADHD expressed by many, including patients.

    “We developed this female-specific treatment option in response to the dire need expressed by many [1,17,19,23,24,25,26,28,41,55,85], including patients.”

    From A Female-Specific Treatment Group for ADHD—Description of the Programme and Qualitative Analysis of First Experiences (2024) · cites this paper as [25]

    The Discussion conclusion calls for more research on female-specific ADHD pharmacotherapy, supporting a need to better tailor treatment. It does not report that many people, including patients, expressed a dire need for female-specific treatment options; that part of the citing sentence is not supported by this source. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [52]Hodgkins P., Shaw M., Coghill D., & Hechtman L. (2012). Amfetamine and methylphenidate pharmacotherapys for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: Complementary treatment options. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 21(9), 477– 492. 10.1007/s00787-012-0286-5 22763750 PMC3432777 · DOI · Paper page

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Authors
Kok, F. M., Groen, Y., Fuermaier, A. B. M., & Tucha, O.
Affiliations
University of Groningen (NL)
Corresponding author
Kok, Francien M.
Venue
PLOS ONE
Published
2020-09-18
Volume
15
Issue
9
Pages
e0239257
ISSN
1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3087626112
Cited by
86
References
95
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 6
FWCI
1.41
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Pharmaceutical studies and practices
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neuroethics, Human Enhancement, Biomedical Innovations
Keywords
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD medication, sex differences, girls, women, stimulant medication, non-stimulant medication, methylphenidate, atomoxetine, prescription rates, treatment efficacy
MeSH terms
Atomoxetine Hydrochloride, Adolescent, Adult, Central Nervous System Stimulants, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Child, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Male, Men, Methylphenidate, Drug Prescriptions, Sex Characteristics, Databases, Factual, Young Adult

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