In this study they have evaluated 166 kids diagnosed with either ADHD or Autism (not both). All kids were evaluated by clinicans for both ADHD traits and Autism traits! Then they scanned their brains using fMRI (MRI that basically shows the brain activity not just a brain image) to see how different brain regions are connected to each other (communicate with each other).

They have found that, Autism traits (not autism diagnosis necessarily) lines up with a specific brain wiring! Two brain regions talk to each other more in kids with stronger Autism traits. These two regions are frontoparietal network (involved with focus/control) and the posterior cingulate cortex of the default mode network (involved with daydreaming/self-reflection). This isn't about what label (Autism vs ADHD diagnosis) the kids had, it was about what actual traits they were showing in the study.

Surprisingly ADHD traits showed no specific brain wiring pattern. The authors say this is probably due to the fact that there isn't a great method of directly observing and rating the ADHD traits as there is for AUtism (Not that ADHD has no brain signature!).

Genes related to these brain wiring patterns overlapped with the genes that are already linked to Autism and ADHD. SO basically they pulled up the list of genes that are active in tthe Autism connectivity brain regions, let's call them Autism Connectivity Genes. and then separately they pulled up list of genes that show up more often in people with Autism or ADHD than other people lets call em Autism/ADHD Genes. and they found out that a lot of Autism Connectivity Genes are overlapping with the list of Autism/ADHD Genes! So what? It turned out that a lot of these overlapping genes are responsible for helping neurns grow their ling connecting fibers (axons) and branching structures (dendrites), which is basically neurons reaching out and connecting to each other. SO these overlapping genes --> affect how neurons wire themselves in early development --> produces this specific connectivity pattern --> then it shows up as Autism traits later in life.

Interestingly a third of ADHD-only kids showed Autism triats, even though they were not diagnosed with Autism. Also their brain wiring patterns looked more like an Autism brain too.

Limitations:

1- fairly small sample size

2- kids were mostly boys so it may not generalize to girls.

3- Lack of tools for systematic direct observation of ADHD traits.

4- The gene part was done by looking at other stiudies, they did not test the kids' DNA themselves.

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41380-025-03205-8

If you enjoy having scientific papers broken down into simple, accessible terms, feel free to subscribe to my channel on YouTube (link in my profile), I'll be uploading videos hopefully soon!

Disclaimer: I summarized the findings of this research paper in a way that was easy to understand and accessible to all of us, so I avoided unnecessary scientific jargon and simplified some of the concepts. Obviously, simplifying complex findings inevitably meant losing some scientific precision.

I used to be so much more higher functioning; within the last couple years my AUDHD has gotten so unmanageable, this is also what lead to me getting diagnosed. I used to be able to make a list and execute it within a certain time frame, I can no longer do that. Honestly it feels like i’m a prisoner everyday i’m alive. Like life is a never ending list. I have no friends, no motivation, energy, or focus to do anything. Not even the things I like or want to do. Executive function has always been an issue for me all my life but not to the extent i’m at now. I feel so helpless. Like how am I supposed to do the things I need to do AND the things I want to do, everyday, with the hours we have in a day, and prioritize. I end up doing none of it OR i try and i complete not even a fraction of the list and then im dysregulated and burn out. My attention is so bad that I have no hobbies or clear identity, no energy for creativity. I’m currently in the works of getting psychiatric treatment and therapy since being diagnosed and i’m really really hoping medication can save me. If anyone related to me or has in the past and has any success stories, advice, i’d love to hear?

This has me conflicted. A guy that I've been talking to had asked me how my day was and I had supper. Now, I take Adderall IR along with Zepbound. Both that have been prescribed to me by my doctor for legit medical purposes. One for my adhd, and the other to help me lose weight as I was morbidly obese, and now in the overweight category through all of my hard work.

When I told him that because these meds that im on literally kills my appetite (as we all know), he then tells me that he takes Adderall too. I was surprised and asked if he had ADHD, excited to meet a potential romantic partner who would finally GET having adhd.

Nope. He tells me that he's perfectly fine and buys it off of his friend, just when he needs a "pick me up". now knowing this, I really dont know if I want to even continue seeing him. Any adhd meds as we know are harder to come by, and its thanks to people like him. Its taking all of me to hold myself back to just say how dare him take away a resource that people in the community desperately need.

I have a date with him this saturday and im not sure to stick with it and end it afterwards or to just do it now. How would you all react in my situation?

I’m writing this through tears because I feel completely trapped, and I’m hoping other AuDHD women might understand what I mean.

I work a full-time corporate WFH job, and I am barely functioning at it. I’m doing the absolute minimum most days, sometimes less than the minimum, and constantly scared that eventually someone is going to notice and I’m going to lose my job. The problem is that I also just… don’t care about the work. I don’t like what I do. I have almost no motivation or executive function left for it, and trying to force myself to care for 8 hours a day feels impossible.

I’m looking for another job, but the job market is awful, and increasingly I’m wondering whether another full-time corporate job would even solve the problem. I feel so burnt out that the thought of getting a new job and having to be enthusiastic and “on” and learn a whole new company and prove myself all over again sounds exhausting.

If money weren’t an issue, I genuinely think working 20–30 hours a week would be ideal for my brain. I could work and still have enough of myself left over to exercise, take care of my house, pursue creative things, see people, cook, and generally be an actual human being.

But financially, I can’t do that. I don’t have enough savings to take significant time off or intentionally make less money. I have debt I’m trying to pay down. I need health insurance and benefits. I need a full-time income.

So I feel stuck in this horrible loop:

I need a full-time job to financially survive.

Working full time seems to be burning me out to the point that I can barely function.

Burnout makes it incredibly difficult to look for a better job.

And even if I find a better job, I’m afraid I’ll eventually end up in exactly the same place.

I genuinely don’t know what I’m supposed to do.

For other AuDHD women who have been here: how did you build a life that was actually sustainable? Did you find a type of full-time work that didn’t destroy you? Did you change careers? Find accommodations? Take medical leave? Somehow make part-time work financially? Accept that you can only do the bare minimum at work and stop feeling guilty about it?

I’m not really looking for “find your passion!” career advice. I think I’m trying to understand how people with brains like ours actually make the economics of adulthood work when our capacity doesn’t seem to match what the standard 40-hour workweek demands.

Because right now, I cannot see a way out, and I’m really scared.

I was always afraid this would happen. I lost my job recently, again, after trying my hardest to stay there. A long time friend of mine lives in a big house in an HOA neighborhood, and she offered to let my 4 year old and I move in with them until I could get my HUD voucher (the USA housing assistance). I've been on the wait list for 2 years now. And I've probably got another year to go. So I agreed and started packing.

Turns out her landlord didn't like the idea, and 20 days into my 30 days notice, he pulled the plug. Flat out said no, because he's afraid we'll become squatters. I would never, but it doesn't matter. I have no money for next months rent, and I need to be out.

Another friend is trying to open a group home for women with disabilities. And she's been waiting for ages to get the state to inspect it. So she's letting us stay there, with the understanding that once the state comes to inspect we need to split.

I pull into the driveway of this lovely house, flanked by other lovely homes. The elderly neighbor waves from his beautiful garden as he tends to a persimmon tree. I'm hauling totes of my things from a 20 year old car into a fully furnished house, a house waiting to home women with disabilities. One that I have to leave when they arrive. Because as far as SSDI is concerned- they're disabilities are real. My son is a wreck. He doesn't understand what's happening and I'm so exhausted and angry.

I'm angry at my deceased parents who left me nothing. I'm angry at my brother for dying young and never being there for me. I'm angry at my friend for her cavalier attitude (she didn't bother to ask her landlord for weeks) and I'm so so mad at myself. At my brain. And at the contrast between the person I thought I would be and who I am.

I always did this in my hostel room to the point where my roommate asked me "What's wrong?" 😂

I am terrible at brushing my teeth. I dread it. I barely even manage to do it for the recommended amount of time if at all. What are yall doing? I hate the feeling of electric toothbrushes. Has anyone found anything that works?

TW SI ideation

Hi all, I've seen how supportive everyone is in this sub and I just really felt called to write here today, I'm in desperate need of some support or just to be heard and understood, in some way.

I'm 39F, autistic with CPTSD and PMDD, chronic migraines and currently awaiting what is most likely a multiple sclerosis diagnosis as well after being incredibly unwell and bedbound majority of the past 3 months with worsening severe neuro symptoms (lost all sight completely in right eye, problems with mobility and a lot of chronic full body pain etc) but have been unable to access neurologist appointments and the tests.

I am Australian but living in Mexico for almost 7 years and in this time I've become more and more disabled and chronically ill, especially since beginning to proccess a lot of my trauma 4 years ago after my autism and CPTSD diagnoses and becoming estranged with my entire abusive "family? back in Australia at that time, I've declined, have severe agrophobia, I force myself to go to the supermarket every 10 days but that is a huge and stressful event (meltdowns, overstimulation and recovery for days). Have lost most of my friends and the ones I do have here don't understand me anymore and have been dismissive and unsupportive of the changes I've gone through here and as I no longer trust anyone or share my life and what I go through, I just avoid people as much as I can and stay at home with my animals.

My 4 animals are my whole world, my only family and they have saved me too many times to count. But they are the only reason I have stayed here in this country for so long. It's not possible to take them back to Australia, I have looked into it thoroughly, but Aus only accept animals from a certain list of countries, Mexico is not on that list. In addition it is incredibly expensive and the quarantine process on arrival is ridiculous, I couldn't put them through all that stress even if I had the money and they allowed animals from Mexico.

So I stay in this country that is making me literally sick, I am feeling incredibly depressed and with almost constant suicidal ideation the past months due to how disabled and ill I've become and I'm really fucking scared for the future. I can barely care for myself now. It's taken me 3 months just to be able to book a neuro appointment and ge and MRI because I cant work much at the moment as Im so unwell. I'm grateful Im able to work from home but these past months I barely can work enough to cover rent and expenses.

We currently live out in the forest, its beautiful but it was my 6th time moving house since arriving in Mexico because of the extreme noise everywhere and it resulting in my CPTSD symptoms worsening as well as being in a cycle of constant autistic burnout just from the noise, we moved to the forest.

However we have been here a year and now my neighbours from 7am to 6pm CONSTANTLY every day are using multiple chainsaws right next to my hose to cut up huge trees into wooden panels. They have been doing this for weeks and they repeat this every couple of months. I cant think, be outside, work, fucking breathe nothing when this is happening, like today I just stayed in the fetal position crying under the covers (with my earplugs and headphones) because the noise is so extreme and constant its like living next to a fucking racecar track. Im so stressed and overwhelmed and scared because I know that this level of extreme noise constantly is whats mostl likely triggering this illness I have and if its MS then the stress is most certainly making my symptoms worse. All I can think about is ending it all, but I look at my sweet fur babies faces and I could never do that.

Im sorry, Im just feeling so so alone and isolated and hopless in all of this. I feel like Im being dramatic, but I know I just feel that way as everyone has gaslit me for so long and now I cant even admit to myself how bad my situation is, I gaslight myself. I don even know whats real anymore and how to trust myself.

I did online therapy for a while but it wasnt helpful, she made me feel even worse, she didnt know anything about autism, PMDD or CPTSD and said some ableist shit so I couldnt continue with her and now am anxious to find someone else who would fit, its too much.

I have so many big plans for the future and goals I want to achieve, but for so long Ive just been struggling so badly here and only barely surviving and I turn 40 in some months, Im just feeling so scared that im going to die alone in this house because ive become too disabled and unwell to care for myself and my animals will all be seperated and end up with shitty people (there are sooo many animal abusers in this area where I live too and its been another significant contributor to my trauma here being exposed to all that/dealing with those fuck heads/not being able to save them all)

I have gone on the biggest rant. I apologize, my thoughts are not clear right now but I just needed to get all this out and have someone hear me. thanks for reading. Any words of comfort and support are so welcomed x

I just got my results back after days of testing from the psychologist and she diagnosed me with level 2 autism and adhd with generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder. I am struggling to understand how level 2 autism could have been missed all my life- I'm 31 years old. I am heartbroken that I didn’t receive proper help growing up despite my mother trying very hard, taking me to professionals all my life to try to get answers as to what was happening with me. It was very overwhelming and has been quite a lot to digest.

She was going over all my test results in great detail with me and she eventually reached the iq test, which I didn't want to take in the first place and was extremely upset when I found out I was taking it. All my life l've been told by teachers, peers, family, associates etc that my intelligence level was well above average and as silly as it sounds it's something that means so much to me and is a core part of my identity and sense of self. She told me my intelligence was average except I think one section that I scored higher in and it completely shattered me and I have not stopped crying since she told me. I have always struggled with self-esteem and had low confidence all my life but my intelligence is something I've always felt secure about and has been the one thing I've taken great pride it. I feel like she just destroyed the last piece of my identity I had left after finding out so much about myself today and I don't know where to go from here. How can everyone that's known me all my life have been so sure I was highly intelligent, teachers and counselors, and then the iq test shows I'm average intelligence? I feel heartbroken, can anyone explain this to me? 😔

I claimed, by order of most used to least : "Addictive Personality", "Misophonia", "Evil", "Obsessively perfectionist", "Aggressive", "50yo teen". I also wanted to be a hermit and was very much disgusted when my mother asked my sister if she thought I was autistic when they thought I wasn't hearing.

For example, when I told them that I have experienced abuse from previous men I went out with and men who tried to take advantage of my social naïveté some AuDHD men would say things like how us autistic women have it “easier” since we can easily attract men whereas they never had experience being in relationships with women. It’s like they don’t seem to understand that even if autistic women get partners easily than AuDHD men, AuDHD women are still vulnerable to predatory men. It’s like they are more concerned about getting relationship experience more than safety and well being of women. I even had to remind them that there could potentially be even some women who could take advantage of their naïveté too and had to remind them that it’s better to not have any relationship experience at all than dealing with predatory and abusive partners.

Long story short, I'm in my 30s and I got diagnosed with ADHD last year, I have advanced degrees in neuroscience and psychology (Ironic! I know!), and I'm disgusted by the influencer grift and misinformation and relatability porn that is targeting vulnerable people with or without ADHD, is trivializing ADHD, claiming it's a superpower or it can be tested using "the short survey in my bio" or it can be cured by listening to this very specific music or eating my special snake oil on my website or this crappy supplement!

Specially because one of the best ADHD educators, Dr. Barkley retired from YouTube I want to make a science-based ADHD YouTube channel that:

1- explains the science and neural mechanisms of ADHD (not everything is due to the "lack" of dopamine!)

2- exposes the ADHD influencers and misinformation (fact checking ridiculous claims)

3- discuss which medication or behavioral methods are best for managing ADHD

4- talk to informed guests (researchers, therapists, psychiatrists, etc.)

5- is designed to entertain and at the same time educate people with ADHD and people who are interested in the topic.

I need your honest feedback:

1- what do you think about my plan and would you watch such content?

2- what other topics would you want to be included on my list? like is discussing the molecular mechanisms and neural circuits involved with executive dysfunction for example even interesting to you?

3- any other criticism or feedback, things I need to be aware of... etc.

Thank you so much for reading and participating!

Okay, this is flagged no advice. I am open to some advice, but mostly just need to yell into the void. I am sitting here in my bathroom. The shower is right there, right TF there. Why is it so hard to just get into the shower? I can shower just fine, it is just getting in there is so hard. I have steps I follow in the shower and thinking maybe those steps are what is freaking me out.

One of the things I did after diagnosis was make a morning routine and night routine list on Canva. I actually made 2 morning routine ones. One was for going to the office and one was for when I didn't have to go to the office. It has helped a lot to have them written down somewhere and "out of my head". Might need to go do one for my shower, but it will have to wait until AFTER the shower.

I didn't go to work today because I had a mini-panic attack because I am on day (redacted for hygiene safety police reasons 😅) of no shower and I felt so gross and was sure everyone could tell, etc. Had to take a half of one of my immediate anxiety meds (I also have one I take morning and night as well). I also realized I didn't take any meds yesterday, so I also get this is probably from no anxiety meds, anti-depressants, & no ADHD meds.

*breathes slowly* i just need support right now as I go battle the terrible shower monster 👻 and hopefully emerge victorious in my battle. Also, why is the cat currently laying on me holding me down? Does she want me to be stinky?