MissUnderstood: The ADHD in Women Channel Is “ring of fire” ADHD real? | Hyperfocus
Apr 2, 2026
Roberto Olivardia, PhD, a clinical psychologist who studies ADHD and comorbidities, critiques SPECT-based “ring of fire” claims. He describes patient harm from misdiagnosis. The conversation covers what SPECT can and cannot show, the ethics of selling scans and treatments, and how media and marketing spread unsupported brain-scan narratives.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Patient Harm From Ring Of Fire Diagnosis
- Roberto Olivardia shared a patient story: a woman scanned at the Amen Clinic was told she had Ring of Fire ADHD and spent years on ineffective supplements and plans.
- She later attempted suicide, was hospitalized, and was correctly diagnosed with bipolar disorder plus ADHD, which transformed her treatment and outcomes.
Ring Of Fire Is Not A Recognized Diagnosis
- Ring of Fire ADHD is a label coined by Dr. Daniel Amen based on SPECT scans and is not a DSM diagnostic category.
- The Amen Clinic lists extra ADHD subtypes and symptoms that overlap with bipolar disorder, risking misdiagnosis and mistreatment.
SPECT Scans Lack Diagnostic Validity
- SPECT scans map brain blood flow but are not FDA-approved or empirically validated to diagnose ADHD or bipolar disorder on an individual basis.
- Group differences may appear in research, but individual SPECT-based diagnoses lack randomized controlled evidence.