Is exercise the better alternative for stimulant medication in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 3–7% of the child and adolescent population, and more recent studies show out of this population the disorder progresses into adulthood in 10–60%. A clear imbalance in the literature on ADHD has shown itself and the majority of studies focus on male diagnoses and symptoms (mADHD) over female diagnoses and symptoms (fADHD). Reasons as to why this gap exists is speculated to be due to differing symptom expression and/or misconception of sex impacts. Nevertheless, we know ADHD stems from a disruption of DA release within the frontal lobe which effects one’s cognitive processing and behavioral characteristics. The origin of this disruption is still unclear, but stimulant medications are the current gold standard in mitigating the low levels of DA found in individuals diagnosed with ADHD. Unfortunately, some individuals experience severe side effects and are intolerant to such medications, therefore, researchers are interested in finding more non-stimulant alternatives. A potential option is exercise due to its ability to augment the release of insulin growth factor (IGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). These neurotrophic factors improve cognitive function and are linked to estrogen levels, therefore BDNF can potentially explain the sex differences in symptomology and promote neurogenesis improved cognitive function.