Could a magnetic helmet curb impulsivity in veterans with ADHD?
NCT ID NCT07442058
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jul 23, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tests a new, non-drug treatment for veterans with ADHD who still struggle with impulsivity despite medication. The treatment, called intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS), uses magnetic pulses to gently stimulate brain areas linked to self-control. Thirty-five veterans will receive either real or sham stimulation to see if the approach is feasible and acceptable.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Intermittent Theta-Burst Stimulation (iTBS), a type of transcranial magnetic stimulation
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a drug-free way to help veterans with ADHD manage impulsivity and improve daily functioning.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small feasibility study with only 35 participants. It is not yet recruiting, and the main goal is to see if the treatment is acceptable, not whether it works. There is also a risk that the sham (placebo) group shows similar results.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 35 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Oct 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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A government agency
The lead sponsor is a US federal agency other than the NIH.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 65 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of ADHD predominantly hyperactive-impulsive or combined, as outlined in the DSM-5-TR criteria * Maintenance of clinical symptoms despite receiving stable treatment for a minimum of 6 weeks before the study procedures * Capability to comprehend and provide informed consent * For safety reasons, participants must meet established screening criteria to ensure safety during Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans * This precaution is taken due to the novel application of iTBS in this specific population, as MRI involves exposure to magnetic fields similar in intensity to those emitted from the stimulation coil * As such, participants must not have the following, unless the devices are MRI-safe: * cardiac pacemaker * implanted devices (such as deep brain stimulators) * metal in the brain * cervical spinal cord, or upper thoracic spinal cord level * In addition, eligible Veterans must also be able and willing to comply with all study procedures and visits * Throughout the study, pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic regimens will tentatively remain unchanged Exclusion Criteria: * Primary psychotic disorders, bipolar I disorder, ongoing severe substance use disorders, or active suicidality * Non-MRI safe cardiac pacemakers, implanted devices, or metallic implants at the upper thoracic spine level or higher * Any of the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) specific exclusion criteria, including: * pregnancy * lactation * planning pregnancy during period of study * history of moderate or severe traumatic brain injury * active unstable medical conditions * CNS tumors * seizures * cerebrovascular disease * other severe neurological disorders * Additional exclusion criteria include the presence of any other condition or circumstance that, as determined by the investigator team, has the potential to prevent study completion or introduce confounding effects in outcome assessments
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI
Providence, Rhode Island, 02908-4734, United States
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