--- title: Are PMDD and ADHD linked in women with bipolar disorder? | Niyora description: In women with bipolar disorder, 44.2% have PMDD, and those with PMDD also have higher ADHD symptom scores. Genetic risk for ADHD was linked to both PMDD sever url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/clinical-and-genetic-association-of-comorbid-provisional-pmdd-and-adhd-in-female-2026/ --- - [Niyora](https://niyora.com/) - [Research](https://niyora.com/research/) - [Library](https://niyora.com/research/library/) - Are PMDD and ADHD linked in women with bipolar disorder? Survey study, 2026 # Are PMDD and ADHD linked in women with bipolar disorder? In women with bipolar disorder, 44.2% have PMDD, and those with PMDD also have higher ADHD symptom scores. Genetic risk for ADHD was linked to both PMDD severity and ADHD symptoms. Moderate study design 423 female patients with bipolar disorder ## What they did Cross-sectional study of 423 female patients with bipolar disorder. Researchers divided them into two groups: those who met DSM-5 criteria for PMDD and those who did not. They measured how often women had major depressive episodes, other diagnoses, ADHD symptoms, and genetic risk scores for major psychiatric disorders. ## What they found 187 of 423 women (44.2%) met criteria for PMDD. Women with PMDD were more likely to have bipolar II rather than bipolar I, had earlier illness onset, and experienced more frequent major depressive episodes. Rates of bulimia nervosa and ADHD symptom scores were higher in the PMDD group. Genetic risk for ADHD was significantly associated with both PMDD symptom severity and ADHD symptom scores. ## What it means for you PMDD is very common in women with bipolar disorder and is linked to more severe symptoms and ADHD traits. This suggests they may share biological roots. However, this study only included women with bipolar disorder, so these findings do not apply to all women. Genetic associations show connection but not direct cause. 44.2% met DSM-5 criteria for PMDD 423 female bipolar disorder patients 187 women with PMDD ## About the study Original title Clinical and genetic association of comorbid provisional PMDD and ADHD in female patients with bipolar disorder Authors Baek JH, Choi MJ, Shin Y et al. Journal Journal of affective disorders Year 2026 Study design Survey study Participants 423 What was tested None Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2026.122163](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2026.122163) Original abstract Background: Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a common comorbidity in bipolar disorder (BD), and its association with severe illness course and other comorbidity in BD has been reported. Aims & objectives: This study aims to investigate clinical characteristics and polygenic risk features of the subgroup with DSM-5-based provisional PMDD in BD. Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and polygenic risk of ADHD were included in the analysis based on recent evidence suggesting the clinical and polygenic association between PMDD and ADHD in non-bipolar populations. Methods: Female patients with BD were grouped into 'with PMDD' and 'without PMDD.' Clinical characteristics, including other comorbidities, and polygenic risk score (PRS) of major psychiatric disorders were compared between the two groups. Results: Of the 423 participants, 187 (44.2%) met the DSM-5 criteria for provisional PMDD. Those with PMDD were more likely to have bipolar II disorder, had earlier illness onset, and experienced more frequent major depressive episodes. The prevalence of comorbid bulimia nervosa and ADHD symptom scores was higher in the PMDD group, compared to those without PMDD. In the analysis of genetic correlation using PRS for 5 major psychiatric disorders, the polygenic risk of ADHD was significantly associated with the severity of both PMDD symptom severity and ADHD symptoms. Discussion & conclusion: Our findings indicate a clinical and genetic association between comorbid PMDD and ADHD symptoms in BD. It is suggested that pleiotropic expression of a common genetic vulnerability might constitute a unique subgroup of BD, characterized by multiple comorbidities with underlying mood dysregulation. Reproduced under CC-BY. ## Topics [Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Cognition, concentration and memory](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-cognition/)[ADHD](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-adhd/)[Bipolar disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-bipolar/)[Major depressive disorder](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-major-depression/)[Eating disorders](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-eating-disorders/) Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits. Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor. ## Related studies Cohort study, 2023 Are PMS symptoms linked to genetic factors for psychiatric disorders? Cohort study, 2023 Is PMDD a valid medical diagnosis? Case-control study, 2006 Are hormone-related chemicals different in women with mood disorders during the menstrual cycle? Survey study, 2017 What is the impact of having both bipolar disorder and premenstrual dysphoric disorder? Review, 2005 How does acute tryptophan depletion help us understand mood disorders? Review, 2004 Could a brain hormone called allopregnanolone explain mood problems like PMDD in women? Ask AI about this page Copy prompt ChatGPT ↗ Claude ↗ Perplexity ↗ Google AI Mode ↗ Grok ↗