This Surprising Body Part Could Hold the Key to Diagnosing ADHD in Kids—Scientists Reveal How

Ever wonder if your eyes could spill the secret tea on whether you have ADHD? Well, a recent South Korean study suggests just that — no need for a dozen doctor visits or tedious questionnaires. ADHD, that pesky neurodevelopmental condition known for making time management feel like rocket science and turning focus into a mythical beast, might soon be diagnosed by simply peeking at your retina. That’s right, the tiny, light-sensitive layer at the back of your eyeball could hold clues that even the most scatterbrained among us might overlook. Researchers trained an AI model to read these retinal roadmaps and, surprisingly, nailed ADHD predictions with a whopping 96% accuracy. So, could your eyeballs become the next big thing in mental health screening? It’s a fascinating (and frankly, a bit wild) twist in how we understand the diagnosis game — but hey, sometimes all you need to know is right under your nose… or in this case, your eyes! LEARN MORE.

A recent study has uncovered a new possible way to detect ADHD by looking just one body part.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopment condition that can affect people’s behaviour when it comes to areas such as time management, restlessness and forgetfulness.

According to the NHS, children and adults with ADHD can seem restless and fidgety, may forget everyday tasks and can struggle to focus and follow instructions.

In the UK, there are an estimated 2.6 million people with ADHD, including 708,000 children and 1.9 million adults.

In order to receive an ADHD diagnosis, you must first have a consultation with a GP, who will then refer you to a specialist for two other appointments – one to establish if there is a chance you have ADHD, and the other to officially diagnose it.

Now, a new study from South Korea has claimed that certain markers of ADHD could be identified in another way.

Scientists think one body part could be the key to diagnosing ADHD (Getty Stock Images)

Scientists from the Yonsei University College of Medicine trained computers to spot signs of ADHD by looking at changes in the retina – the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye.

An AI computer model was able to analyse images of the retina and predict the condition with 96 per cent accuracy in a study of 323 children and adolescents with ADHD and 323 without it.

It found that the retinas of kids with ADHD were different to those without the condition, especially in the shape and pattern of their blood vessels.

According to the study, the presence of more blood vessels, thicker vessels and smaller optic discs (how the eyes connects to the brain) could indicate that someone has ADHD.

“Our analysis of retinal fundus photographs demonstrated potential as a noninvasive biomarker for ADHD screening,” the researchers wrote.

“Notably, earlier high-accuracy models typically relied on a diverse set of variables, each contributing incrementally to differentiating subjects.

“Our approach simplifies the analysis by focusing exclusively on retinal photographs. This single-source data strategy enhances the clarity and utility of our models.”

However, researchers stressed that this is preliminary study with findings based on an extremely limited sample size and age range.

Participants with ADHD had more blood vessels, thicker vessels and smaller optic discs (Getty Stock Images)

Next, the team of scientists want to try the tests across a larger and more diverse group of participants.

They also add that other conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which can co-exist alongside ADHD as AuDHD, aren’t accounted for in their research as further tests showed that the technology wasn’t very good at distinguishing the two conditions apart from each other (via Science Direct).

With undiagnosed ADHD being linked to struggles at work, relationship breakdowns and poor mental health, a faster, non-invasive and more accurate diagnosis could help people get the support they need sooner.

“Early screening and timely intervention can improve social, familial, and academic functioning in individuals with ADHD,” the researchers said.