Hi Friend
You may have seen the recent headlines following Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s comments suggesting that the NHS is struggling under a wave of ADHD diagnoses, implying that the condition might be "overdiagnosed" or that normal life challenges are being medicalised.
Headlines like these often spark debate, but for patients living with these symptoms, they can feel dismissive. More importantly, they often miss the nuance of why we are seeing such a rise in diagnoses.
It is becoming increasingly clear to researchers that we aren't just seeing a "social trend." We are seeing the recognition of a complex, multisystemic biological pattern.
Specifically, we are seeing a significant clinical overlap between ADHD, Fibromyalgia, and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).
Here is the science behind why these conditions so often cluster together.
For everyone asking more 1-1 appts are now open in march 2026 HERE.
1. The "Allergic" Brain (The MCAS-ADHD Link)
This is a link I see alot at mend clinic. For decades, ADHD was viewed strictly as a psychiatric condition—a deficiency of dopamine in the prefrontal cortex. While that is true, new research asks: What causes the disruption?
We now know that Mast Cells—the immune cells responsible for allergic reactions—are located throughout the brain, particularly in the hypothalamus (which regulates sleep and stress).
The Mechanism: When Mast Cells are unstable (MCAS), they release histamine and inflammatory cytokines.
The Impact: Histamine acts as a neurotransmitter. In the body, it causes hives. In the brain, excess histamine creates "neuro-excitation"—racing thoughts, anxiety, insomnia, and "brain fog" that mimics or exacerbates ADHD symptoms.
The Takeaway: For many patients, "brain fog" isn't just a lack of focus; it is legitimate neuroinflammation.
2. The Pain Processing Link (Fibromyalgia & Dopamine)
It is statistically rare to find a patient with Hypermobility or Fibromyalgia who does not also have some traits of neurodivergence. Why? Because they share the same chemical pathway: Dopamine.
Dopamine is famous for being the "focus" and "reward" chemical (central to ADHD). But biologically, dopamine is also the body's primary pain filter.
The Mechanism: Dopamine inhibits pain signals as they travel up the spinal cord to the brain.
The Impact: If you have low dopamine function (ADHD), your body struggles to filter out sensory input. Background noise becomes overwhelming (sensory processing disorder), and background physical sensations become painful (Fibromyalgia/Central Sensitisation).
3. Connecting the Dots
When we look at these conditions separately, they look like three different problems requiring three different specialists.
Psychiatry for the focus.
Rheumatology for the pain.
Immunology for the reactions.
But when we view them through the lens of connective tissue (hEDS) and neuro-immune regulation, they are often part of the same underlying physiology.
I have allocated more slots in March and they are now open for 1-1 appts, please book here.
Summary
The rise in diagnoses likely isn't because people are jumping on a bandwagon. It is because we are finally getting better at recognising that the brain and the body are not separate systems.
If you struggle with this "triad" of symptoms, understanding that they are chemically linked can be the first step toward better management—whether that means stabilizing the immune system to help the brain, or managing dopamine to help the pain.
Dr Ahmed
[Disclaimer: The content in this newsletter is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.]
