WHILE your eyes are often called the window to your soul, they could also offer clues to conditions like ADHD.
While your vision might appear fine, a study published last month found certain characteristics at the back of the eye might point to the behavioural condition.
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Scientists in South Korea trained computers to spot signs of ADHD, short for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, by looking at changes in the eye.
An AI computer model was able to predict the condition with 96 per cent accuracy just by analysing images of the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, also called the retina.
The team found key signs in the retina, such as more blood vessels, thicker vessels, and smaller optic discs (how the eye connected to the brain), which could show someone has ADHD.
These eye changes may reflect how the brain develops in people with the condition since the retina is closely linked to the brain.
“Our analysis of retinal fundus photographs demonstrated potential as a noninvasive biomarker for ADHD screening,” the researchers, led by a team from Yonsei University College of Medicine, wrote in their paper.
It’s estimated that up to 2.6million children and adults in the UK have been diagnosed with ADHD.
While globally, around five per cent of people are thought to be affected.
It can make people seem restless and cause them to get easily distracted.
Most cases are diagnosed in children under 12, but the number of adults being diagnosed is on the rise.
Experts think this is due to a combination of increased awareness, decreased stigma, and improved access to healthcare.
For the new study, published in npj Digital Medicine, experts tested the AI model on eye images from 323 children and teens with ADHD and 323 without.
The AI system performed well in predicting ADHD and identifying key signs of the disorder, including differences in the retina and how well someone can focus their attention.
Next, the researchers want to try these tests across larger groups of people and wider age ranges.
The average age of participants in this study was 9.5 years, and we know ADHD in adults can present quite differently.
A faster and more accurate diagnosis could help many people get the support they need sooner.
This is important as undiagnosed ADHD has been linked to struggles at work, relationship breakdowns, and poor mental health.
“Early screening and timely intervention can improve social, familial, and academic functioning in individuals with ADHD,” the researchers said.
The 9 ‘hidden’ signs of ADHD in adults
ADHD has long been associated with naughty schoolkids who cannot sit still in class.
And that is part of it. Fidgeting, daydreaming and getting easily distracted are all symptoms of the behavioural condition, which is why it is often spotted in children.
However, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is far more complex than simply having trouble focusing.
Henry Shelford, CEO and co-founder of ADHD UK, says: “If it isn’t debilitating, it isn’t ADHD.”
In recent years, social media has given rise to trends which conflate specific personality traits or single behaviours with ADHD.
You might be thinking, ‘I’m always losing my keys, forgetting birthdays and I can never concentrate at work — I must have ADHD’. But it’s not as simple as that.
Though these may all point to the condition, Dr Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic, says: “The key distinction lies in how much a behaviour impacts a person’s daily life.
“Genuine ADHD symptoms affect multiple areas of life – work, relationships and emotional wellbeing – whereas personality traits are typically context-dependent and less disruptive.”
ADHD UK’s Henry, who has the condition himself, adds: “Having ADHD is hard. One in ten men with ADHD and one in four women with ADHD will at some point try to take their own lives.”
So how can ADHD manifest in someone’s life? While hyperactivity is a common indicator, here are nine other subtle signs:
- Time blindness – losing track of time, underestimating how long tasks will take, regularly being late or excessively early
- Lack of organisation – a messy home, frequently misplacing items, forgetting deadlines
- Hyperfocus – becoming deeply engrossed in activities for hours
- Procrastination – feeling overwhelmed by to-do lists and struggling to determine what needs your attention first so focusing on less important tasks
- Heightened emotions – emotional struggles can manifest in angry outbursts, feeling flooded with joy or shutting down because you feel too much at once
- Being a ‘yes man’ – agreeing to new projects at work or dinner dates with friends when you’re already busy (a desire to please)
- Impatience – interrupting people mid-conversation, finding it painful to stand in a queue, being overly-chatty
- Restlessness – tapping, pacing, fidgeting or feeling restless on the inside
- Easily distracted – by external things, like noises, or internal things like thoughts