High Prevalence of Self-Reported Photophobia in Adult ADHD
Open accessAbstract
Many adult outpatients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) report an oversensitivity to light. We explored the link between ADHD and photophobia in an online survey (N = 494). Self-reported photophobia was prevalent in 69% of respondents with, and in 28% of respondents without, ADHD (symptoms). The ADHD (symptoms) group wore sunglasses longer during daytime in all seasons. Photophobia may be related to the functioning of the eyes, which mediate dopamine and melatonin production systems in the eye. In the brain, dopamine and melatonin are involved in both ADHD and circadian rhythm disturbances. Possibly, the regulation of the dopamine and melatonin systems in the eyes and in the brain are related. Despite the study's limitations, the results are encouraging for further study on the pathophysiology of ADHD, eye functioning, and circadian rhythm disturbances.
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More extreme evening typology is associated with ADHD in adults.
“more extreme evening typology associates with ADHD.”
From A systematic review of circadian function, chronotype and chronotherapy in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (2017) · cites this paper as Kooij and Bijlenga (2014)
Higher than expected levels of photophobia are associated with ADHD.
“the observation by Kooij and Bijlenga (2014) of higher than expected levels of photophobia associated with ADHD”
From A systematic review of circadian function, chronotype and chronotherapy in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (2017) · cites this paper as Kooij and Bijlenga (2014)
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- Authors
- Kooij, J. J. S., & Bijlenga, D.
- Affiliations
- PsyQ (NL)
- Corresponding author
- Bijlenga, Denise
- Venue
- Frontiers in Neurology
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2014-12-10
- Volume
- 5
- Pages
- 256-256
- ISSN
- 1664-2295 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4261727
- OpenAlex
- W2071213620
- Cited by
- 40
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 1.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Frontiers in Neurology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Ophthalmology and Visual Impairment Studies
- Keywords
- photophobia, adult ADHD, photosensitivity, dopamine, melatonin, circadian rhythm disruption, eye function, ADHD pathophysiology, prevalence
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