Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40264019›Full record

ReviewJournal of neurodevelopmental disorders2025

Serotonin dysfunction in ADHD.

Eleanor F Jackson, Timothy B Riley, Paul G Overton

Registry-linked trialAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of neurodevelopmental disorders, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT07777328 (The Effect of 5-hydroxytryptophan on Microsaccades and Distractibility in Individual With High Levels of ADHD Traits), which is not on this map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT07777328 narecruitingnot on this map

The Effect of 5-hydroxytryptophan on Microsaccades and Distractibility in Individual With High Levels of ADHD Traits: a Randomised, Double-blind Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of SheffieldRan2025 to 2027Enrolled150ConditionsAttention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults, Attention DeficitsArms5-hydroxytryptophan (food supplement) 200mg, 5-hydroxytryptophan (food supplement) 300mg, Placebo
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Eleanor F JacksonDepartment of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK. efjackson1@sheffield.ac.uk.
Timothy B RileyDepartment of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
Paul G OvertonDepartment of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

It is well accepted that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is in part driven by dysfunction in the monoaminergic neurotransmitter system, but both the extent of dysfunction and possible therapeutic avenues presented by serotonergic neurotransmission is frequently overlooked. As such, we present key evidence for dysfunction in serotonergic transmission, as seen from biochemical, genetic and pharmacological perspectives. An overall deficit in serotonin availability is a common theme throughout the literature, thus this review aims to explore possible dysfunctions in the serotonin synthesis pathway which result in this reduced bioavailability, and investigate whether such dysfunctions could be loci of change in ADHD. We have identified several steps in transmission, namely the conversion of tryptophan to 5-hydroxytryptophan and its use of cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin, which could present promising avenues for development of novel clinical interventions for ADHD.

Indexed as

Attention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivitySerotoninAnimalsHumansSynaptic TransmissionTryptophanSerotoninTryptophan5-hydroxytryptophan.Attention deficit hyperactivity disorderKynurenineSerotoninTryptophan

Identifiers

PMID40264019
PMCPMC12013068

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.