ADHD in Women: Hormonal Influences Across the Lifespan

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Handouts/Brochure

Speaker

Jane Indergaard, DNP, RN Related seminars and products

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Dr. Jane Indergaard is an associate professor of nursing at Concordia College, in Moorhead, MN and a licensed registered nurse in ND and MN. She brings four decades of clinical practice and teaching, with expertise in behavioral health nursing and critical care/emergency trauma nursing. Her career also includes extensive involvement in research, evidence-based practice, and the application of research findings to clinical settings.

Dr. Indergaard is a nationally and internationally recognized speaker on ADHD, with 21 years of experience as a provider of education, advocacy, and outreach for individuals living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). She has written for ATTENTION Magazine and been interviewed as a content expert on ADHD for several national and regional media outlets. She serves on both the national Board of Directors for CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) and the editorial advisory board for CHADD’s ATTENTION Magazine and is the local co-founder of the award-winning Red River Valley CHADD, an affiliate of the national organization.

Her current study, research and clinical interests focus on the impact of hormonal fluctuations on women with ADHD across the lifespan, neurocognitive disorders and ADHD, clinical practice guidelines for Adult ADHD, and the design and implementation of Psychoeducational (PE) programming for families into provider treatment for ADHD.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Jane Indergaard is a Scholar in Residence with Concordia College. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Jane Indergaard is a member of the American Nurses Association, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the National Alliance for Mental Illness, and the Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. She is a member of the editorial advisory board for ATTENTION Magazine and the founder and coordinator of Red River Valley Satellite.

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Objectives

1. Identify the implications of divergent patterns of ADHD in girls and women on treatment.
2. Determine the impact of hormonal influences on ADHD symptom expression.
3. Choose strategies for improved management of symptoms for women with ADHD in menopause.

Outline

ADHD in Girls & Women: The Problem 

• Sex Disparity in ADHD – Overview of facts contributing to referral and diagnostic bias 
• Symptom Presentation in Girls & Women – Differences in symptom expression leading to missed diagnoses 
• Hiding in Plain Sight – Masking in females, its emotional toll, and impact on delayed diagnosis 
• Comorbidity in Females – Common comorbidities contributing to ADHD misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis 
• Consequences of Delayed Diagnosis – A preventable public health issue 

Etiology of Divergent ADHD Patterns in females:  Possible Mechanisms Involved 

• Gonadal Hormone Effects on Brain Development – Gender differences in fetal brain development and their role in ADHD onset and symptom variation 
• Hormonal Influence on Brain and Behavior – Estrogen’s impact on brain function and attentional systems and its relevance to ADHD 

Hormone Fluctuations and ADHD: Research & Clinical Findings 

• Prepuberty: Early puberty's link to riskier ADHD behaviors 
• Adolescence/Young Adulthood: Menstrual cycle impact on ADHD symptoms; management strategies 
• Pregnancy/Peripartum: Obstetric risks, stimulant safety, and treatment recommendations 
• Postpartum: Executive function challenges, hormonal shifts, and mood disorder risks in ADHD 
• Menopause: Hormonal drops worsening ADHD symptoms; management approaches. 
• Old Age: ADHD in older adults, screening, and diagnosis considerations 
• Evidence Limitations – Limited research, case studies, emerging evidence for life stages 

Emerging Research on Estrogen’s Role in ADHD:  

Part of a Larger System 

Pharmacotherapy and Gender:  

Medication efficacy for women from a recent systematic review 

Recommendations for Improved Clinical Practice and Future Research 

Target Audience

• Medical Providers 
• Nurses/ Nurse Practitioners 
• Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors 
• Psychologists 
• Social Workers 
• Marriage & Family Therapists 
• Occupational Therapists 
• Teachers/School-Based Personnel 
• Speech-language Pathologists