Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41960234›Full record

Trial reportFrontiers in psychiatry2026

The effect of phosphatidylserine on behavioral problems in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

ZePing Shen, SiFan Jia, Xin Li, XiaoHong Jiang, Hang Zhang, YanTong Fang

Abstract readClinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

ZePing ShenCentre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
SiFan JiaCentre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
Xin LiCentre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
XiaoHong JiangDepartment of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
Hang ZhangCentre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.
YanTong FangCentre for Cognition and Brain Disorders, The Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in children, characterized by attention deficit, hyperactivity, and various internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems. Phosphatidylserine (PS), a nutritional supplement, has shown potential in improving behavioral symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of PS on core symptoms and associated behavioral problems in children with ADHD. We conducted a randomized, open-label, controlled trial involving 56 children with ADHD. Participants were randomly allocated to receive either phosphatidylserine or atomoxetine for three months. Core symptoms as well as internalizing and externalizing behaviors were assessed using the SNAP-IV rating scale and the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The PS group showed no significant improvement in core ADHD symptoms (attention deficit: M = 0.26, SD = 0.60, p > 0.05, d = 0.43; hyperactivity/impulsivity: M = 0.11, SD = 0.46, p > 0.05, d = 0.23; total score: M = 3.82, SD = 10.27, p > 0.05, d = 0.37), whereas the atomoxetine group showed significant improvements in attention deficit (M = 0.40, SD = 0.50, p < 0.05, d = 0.80), hyperactivity/impulsivity (M = 0.26, SD = 0.49, p < 0.05, d = 0.54), and total scores (M = 7.00, SD = 9.38, p < 0.05, d = 0.75). In contrast, the PS group demonstrated significant reductions in internalizing (M = 1.83, SD = 3.28, p < 0.05, d = 0.56) and externalizing behaviors (M = 3.38, SD = 5.20, p < 0.05, d = 0.65), whereas the atomoxetine group improved only in externalizing behaviors (M = 2.54, SD = 5.42, p < 0.05, d = 0.47). Further analysis revealed that both groups showed significant decreases in aggressive behaviors (PS: M = 2.79, SD = 4.24, p < 0.05, d = 0.66; atomoxetine: M = 2.43, SD = 4.90, p < 0.05, d = 0.50). Phosphatidylserine was not associated with significant improvements in core ADHD symptoms but was associated with reductions in internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems, particularly in reducing aggression. These findings suggest that PS warrants further investigation as a promising adjunctive treatment targeting behavioral dysregulation in children with ADHD.

Indexed as

attention-deficit hyperactivity disorderexternalizing behaviorinternalizing behaviornon-pharmacological interventionphosphatidylserine

Identifiers

PMID41960234
PMCPMC13056677

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.