Authors

Dr Bravender is the David S. Rosen Collegiate Professor of Adolescent Medicine and clinical professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the University of Michigan. He also serves as associate chair for faculty affairs in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine director, executive director of the Mott Comprehensive Eating Disorders Program, and comedical director of the University of Michigan Adolescent Health Initiative.

Surbhi Pathania, MD

Dr Pathania is an outpatient psychiatrist at BronxCare Health System in New York City, actively involved in supervision and education in psychiatry residents.

Latest Article

Sports Psychiatry and ADHD: A Vital Link in Neurodevelopment and Performance

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) is among the most prevalent neurodevelopmental conditions in both childhood and adolescence. ADHD is associated with significant academic, emotional, and functional impairment. In clinical practice, pharmacotherapy and behavioral interventions remain foundational. However, physical activity and structured sports participation represent underutilized, evidence-based adjuncts for symptom regulation, emotional resilience, and long-term health. Meta-analytic evidence demonstrates that exercise improves attention, executive functioning, and core ADHD symptoms. Newly emerging literature highlights the moderating role of family context and access disparities. Sports psychiatry provides a translational framework integrating mental health treatment with performance optimization, injury recovery, and psychosocial development. Adopting a neurodiversity-informed, biopsychosocial lens allows clinicians to leverage movement as a regulatory and strengths-based intervention rather than solely a symptom target. This article synthesizes epidemiologic trends, exercise science, parenting influences, and sports psychiatry principles to offer practical clinical strategies for psychiatrists counseling families and youth. Emphasizing physical activity as a core component of holistic ADHD care may enhance resilience, engagement, and lifelong mental health trajectories.

Dr Vadiei is a clinical associate professor of pharmacotherapy and translational sciences at the University of Texas at Austin and a psychiatric pharmacist at San Antonio State Hospital.

Dr Pierce is the medical director of the Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Service and the child and adolescent psychiatry hospital education lead at the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, University of Michigan Hospital Systems. She is also a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Dr Geier is a fourth-year psychiatry resident at University of California San Diego. His interests include psychotherapy, philosophy of psychiatry, and medical education.

Dr Sethi is a founding director of the flagship Stanford Metabolic Psychiatry Clinic, a clinical associate professor at Stanford University, and the founder of Metabolic Psychiatry Labs Inc, a digital health platform translating research on metabolism-based psychiatric care into accessible clinical applications.

Dr Cooley is the chief medical officer of both Eastern State Hospital and Behavioral Health for UK HealthCare System. He is also an associate professor and director of inpatient services for the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine.

Jesse Cook, PhD

Dr Cook is a postdoctoral fellow with a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research focuses on the intersection of sleep and mental health, with his primary program of research purposed to advance the classification, assessment, and treatment of unexplained hypersomnolence. He has additional research interests related to the strengths, limitations, and overall utility of wearable sleep tracking technology for research and clinical purposes, as well as the roles of sleep and circadian health in the performance and well-being of athletes.

Dr de Erausquin is distinguished professor of neurology and radiological sciences at the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas.