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Medications commonly used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may help reduce certain symptoms of menopausal brain fog, according to a review presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Menopause Society. The findings have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
The research suggests that both lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse) and atomoxetine (Strattera) may improve self-reported executive function in perimenopausal and postmenopausal people. However, they showed little to no effect on objective cognitive tests.
While this scoping review showed promising results, experts caution that it may be too early to begin recommending these medications to females experiencing menopause.
Sara Vaughn, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Clair Health, who wasn’t involved in the study, told Healthline that these findings are interesting and hypothesis-generating, but they do not yet establish ADHD medications as a treatment for menopausal brain fog.
Connection between ADHD-like symptoms and menopauseMany middle-aged females report experiencing forgetfulness, slow thinking, reduced concentration, and difficulty finding words. This is often referred to as “brain fog,” and is a common occurrence during various stages of menopause.
These symptoms of brain fog also mirror the symptoms of ADHD.
Brain fog may be due to declining or fluctuating levels of estrogen during perimenopause, which affects dopamine and norepinephrine signaling in the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. This can impact memory, focus, and executive functioning.
Despite how disruptive these symptoms can be to quality of life, there is currently no medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to manage them. This often leaves clinicians in a position of trying to differentiate between brain fog from menopause and undiagnosed ADHD.
The review analyzed five studies involving females ages 45–60 with their last menstrual period within the past 10 years. The studies all focused on how ADHD medications affect outcome measures of cognition and ADHD severity.
The researchers found that with lisdexamfetamine, scores on the Brown Attention Deficit Disorder Scale (BADDS), a self-report rating scale that measures ADHD symptoms, dropped from 35.7 to 21.2, compared with 29.8 with a placebo. With atomoxetine, BADDS scores decreased from 38.6 to 25.5, compared with 30.1 with a placebo.
There was no significant benefit observed on objective cognitive tests (ex., memory and processing speed).
These findings suggest that certain ADHD medications may improve perceived cognitive symptoms during menopause, although benefits were not demonstrated on objective cognitive tests.
Jennifer Tat, a medical student at the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center and lead author of the study, noted, “In the population data, symptom severity, not a formal ADHD diagnosis, predicted menopausal burden. Many women were never diagnosed, so relying on a chart diagnosis misses the women most at risk.”
“We have evidence that the menopause transition is associated with measurable brain changes,” said Vaughn. “But no specific brain signature of menopausal brain fog has been established. To study it rigorously, we first need to define what the term means and measure it consistently.”
Why experts say it may be too soon to recommend these medicationsLimitations of this review include the small number of studies and the small sample sizes. Most of the measures were also self-reported, which leaves room for error.
Also, the FDA has not approved these types of medications for menopausal brain fog, meaning using them for these purposes would be off-label.
“ADHD medications are not without risks, and I think it is too early to use them routinely for menopausal ‘brain fog,’” said Vaughn.
ADHD medications can carry risks, including cardiovascular side effects. Stimulants such as lisdexamfetamine also have the potential for misuse and dependence. These medications should only be used with medical supervision.
“I am a strong proponent of treating the underlying disorder rather than treating isolated symptoms. ADHD and menopausal cognitive symptoms may look alike, but that does not mean they share the same underlying mechanism—or require the same treatment,” noted Vaughn.
Further research, including additional long-term prospective studies, is needed before clinical guidance can be changed
“We hope this opens up the conversations with patients and providers. We recommend clinicians to screen patients for ADHD and, for those who screen positive, refer them to our psychiatric colleagues who have the knowledge and resources to perform a diagnostic test so that those women who have gone undiagnosed with ADHD can get the treatment they need and deserve,” said Tat.
Tips to help manage menopausal brain fogAccording to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), your brain requires exercise to function optimally, just like your muscles do.
Ways to help keep your brain sharp and manage menopausal brain fog include:
The NCOA also suggests keeping your brain well-exercised by:
You can also speak with your healthcare professional about how menopause, estrogen levels, hormone therapy, and modifiable risk factors like a sedentary lifestyle or high blood pressure can affect cognitive health.
“I want clinicians to know that they must take brain fog seriously. Ask whether the symptoms are new or a lifelong pattern that menopause has worsened. ADHD in women often goes unrecognized for decades,” said Tat.
