Association of Alopecia Areata With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Stimulant Medication: A Case-Control Study

    January 2021 in “ The Ochsner journal ”
    Tyson Meaux, Pamela M. McMahon, Glenn N. Jones, Amelia E. Bush, Jaren J. Kennedy, George William Poche
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    TLDR ADHD stimulant medications might be linked to a specific type of hair loss called Alopecia Universalis.
    In a 2021 case-control study involving 500 participants, researchers found a significant association between the use of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) stimulant medications and the development of Alopecia Areata, a type of hair loss. The study identified 124 cases of various types of alopecia and 372 controls. A significant association was found between Alopecia Universalis (AU) and ADHD stimulant medication use (P<0.0071), but no relationship was found with other types of hair loss. Despite the small sample size of AU cases, the study suggested that practitioners should closely monitor patients with Alopecia Areata who use ADHD stimulant medications for worsening disease and discontinue the medication if hair loss appears to be progressing to AU.
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