Brain zap test may tailor ADHD meds for kids
NCT ID NCT04421248
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study aims to see if two brain measurements taken with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) can help guide ADHD treatment in children aged 8 to 12. Researchers will test these measurements for reliability, how they change with a single dose of methylphenidate (Ritalin), and how they relate to thinking and emotion. The goal is to develop a tool that could lead to more personalized and effective ADHD care.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Methylphenidate (Ritalin)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to a brain-based test to help doctors choose the best ADHD treatment for each child, improving outcomes.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-phase biomarker study, not a treatment trial. The TMS measures may not reliably predict treatment response, and results may not apply to all children with ADHD.
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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Phase 4
Runs after approval, following long-term safety and how well the treatment works in everyday use.
- Participants
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About 214 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2020
- Expected to finish
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Jul 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
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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8 to 12 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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: * Either gender, any race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status * Currently between 8 years 0 months and 12 years, 11 months, 30 days * Willing to answer questions about ADHD and related diagnoses * For children with ADHD prescribed stimulant medications, willing to suspend taking medications as specified in the study procedures * For children with ADHD, willing to participate in the single dose, randomized crossover study to probe acute effects of methylphenidate on biomarkers * Right hand dominant (predominately right-handed) * Able to participate in and sign an informed consent * ADHD inclusion: The diagnosis of ADHD will be based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version 5 (DSM-5) criteria using standard rating scales and a structured diagnostic interview. Oppositional Defiant Disorder is permitted; Conduct disorder is excluded. * Typically Developing (healthy control) inclusion: Free of ADHD or other developmental or psychiatric disorders based on DSM-5 criteria using standard rating scales and a structured diagnostic interview. Exclusion Criteria: * Known diagnosis of mental retardation, cerebral palsy, Autism Spectrum Disorder, traumatic brain injury, brain tumor, epilepsy, or other serious neurological disorder. * Major Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Conduct Disorder, Adjustment Disorder, other Anxiety Disorders, or other developmental psychiatric diagnoses. * For females, onset of menses, pregnancy. * Current use of antidepressants, non-stimulant ADHD medications, dopamine blocking agents, mood stabilizers. * Implanted brain stimulator, vagal nerve stimulator, ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, cardiac pacemaker, or implanted medication port. * Diagnosis of a speech/language disorder or a Reading Disability (RD).
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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
2 sites. 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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Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
RECRUITINGCincinnati, Ohio, 45229, United States
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Kennedy Krieger Institute
RECRUITINGBaltimore, Maryland, 21205, United States
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