What in the World

Home News Sport Weather iPlayer Sounds Bitesize CBeebies CBBC Food Home News Sport Business Technology Health Culture Arts Travel Earth Audio Video Live Use BBC.com or the new BBC App to listen to BBC podcasts, Radio 4 and the World Service outside the UK.Find out how to listen to other BBC stationsEpisode detailsWorld Service,·15 Jul 2026,·9 minsAvailable for over a yearADHD is a condition that causes difficulties with things like concentrating, regulating emotions and sitting still. And many young women living with ADHD say their symptoms worsen during specific periods of their menstrual cycle. Now, a first of its kind study by Queen Mary University and Kings College in London is putting that potential link to the test. They’re asking around 50 women who have ADHD and are taking medication for it to track their menstrual cycle and the impact it has on their ADHD symptoms, and daily life more broadly. Dr Jessica Agnew-Blais, lead academic on the study, explains the motivations behind her work and why past ADHD studies have focused mostly on men and boys. We also hear from two women living with ADHD who explain how their symptoms change during their menstrual cycle. Instagram: @bbcwhatintheworld Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Chelsea Coates Editor: Verity WildeProgramme WebsiteMore episodes