SynthesisFrontiers in psychiatry2026
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and chronic pain: a scoping review of epidemiology, clinical phenotypes, mechanisms, and treatment.
Synthesis 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.
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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.
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
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Abstract
Introduction: Emerging evidence suggests a potential association between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and chronic pain; however, extant findings are dispersed across disciplines and have not yet been comprehensively synthesized. This scoping review aimed to systematically map the epidemiological evidence, clinical phenotypes, proposed neurobiological mechanisms, and reported therapeutic interventions related to comorbid ADHD and chronic pain. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library from database inception to December 28, 2025. Human studies examining the association between ADHD (diagnosed or symptom-defined) and chronic or recurrent pain were also included. Fifty studies met the eligibility criteria, including observational studies (cross-sectional and longitudinal), case reports and series, and one interventional study. Results: Epidemiological studies have consistently reported significant associations between ADHD symptoms or diagnoses and chronic pain in both the general population and clinical samples. Higher ADHD symptom burden was associated with greater pain severity and pain-related functional impairment. Comorbidity was observed not only in widespread pain syndromes, such as fibromyalgia, but also in site-specific conditions, including chronic low back pain, orofacial pain, and migraine. Proposed mechanisms involve dopaminergic and noradrenergic dysfunction affecting motor regulation, sensory processing, and descending pain modulation systems. Several case-based reports have described improvements in pain outcomes after ADHD-targeted pharmacotherapy. However, controlled trials remain scarce. Discussion: Current evidence suggests that ADHD traits may be relevant in a subset of individuals with chronic pain, particularly those with treatment-resistant presentations. Although causality and treatment efficacy remain unconfirmed, consideration of neurodevelopmental characteristics may enhance clinical assessments and inform future research on individualized mechanism-based treatment strategies.
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