Neuroplasticity Technology for Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Boston Children's Hospital

Status: Completed

Conditions: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: Adaptive Inhibitory Control Training; Behavioral: Non-adaptive Inhibitory Control Training

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03363568

IRB-P00005840

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study evaluates the impact of computerized inhibitory control training on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and ADHD-linked neural signatures in children with ADHD. Children were randomly assigned to adaptive computerized training (n=20) or non-adaptive computerized training control (n=20) with identical stimuli and goals.

Full description

Both medication and cognitive behavioral therapy are effective treatments for many children, however, adherence to both medication and therapy regimes is low. Thus, identifying effective adjunct treatments for ADHD is imperative.

Previous studies exploring computerized training programs as supplementary treatments have targeted working memory or attention. However, many lines of research point to inhibitory control (IC) playing a central role in ADHD pathophysiology. IC abnormalities in children with ADHD have been evidenced both in behavioral performance on computerized tasks as well as in the structure and function of neural systems known to support IC function. Furthermore, these IC abnormalities have been linked to symptom severity.

Given findings that the most successful training interventions for children with ADHD are those that have implemented IC training along wtih working memory or attention and previous work demonstrating that IC is a central deficit for children with ADHD, it is surprising that no studies have sought to investigate programs that specifically target IC. Investigators hypothesize that training IC alone will decrease symptoms of ADHD, and information confirming this hypothesis would contribute to making training regimens for children with ADHD efficient by identifying the primary cognitive skill that requires intervention. To test this, they administer a randomized control trial of either adaptive of non-adaptive stop signal reaction time (SSRT) tasks to children with ADHD and assess effects of training on ADHD symptoms and neural activity.

Enrollment: 41 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 8 to 11 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of inattentive or combined subtype ADHD by a licensed clinician and consistent acess to Wi-Fi at home.

Exclusion criteria

• Any known genetic abnormalities, a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, or current use of medication for psychiatric disorders other than ADHD (e.g. depression, anxiety).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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41 participants in 2 patient groups

Adaptive Inhibitory Control Training

Experimental group

Description:

Participants played a set of three modified stop-signal reaction time tasks designed by NeuroScouting, LLC at home for approximately 5 days a week (25 min/day) for 4-weeks. This condition involved real-time adaptive gameplay that increased in difficulty as performance increased.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Adaptive Inhibitory Control Training

Non-Adaptive Inhibitory Control Training

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants played a set of three modified stop-signal reaction time tasks designed by NeuroScouting, LLC at home for approximately 5 days a week (25 min/day) for 4-weeks. This condition had no change in difficulty (non-adaptive gameplay).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Non-adaptive Inhibitory Control Training