Could brain zaps help teens with ADHD focus better?
NCT ID NCT07219810
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether a type of brain stimulation called iTBS can improve working memory and impulse control in 50 adolescents aged 12-18 with ADHD. Participants receive three short sessions of magnetic pulses each day for ten days, targeting either the left DLPFC or right PreSMA brain regions. Researchers will measure changes in brain activity and symptom ratings to see which area helps which skill.
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) using a Nexstim NBT System 2 device
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a non-drug treatment option for ADHD symptoms like poor working memory and impulse control in teenagers.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study with only 50 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The treatment is experimental and may not improve symptoms significantly.
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 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2025
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2029
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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12 to 18 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 1. Age 12-18 years 2. English fluency of participant and parent and able to provide informed consent/assent 3. Clinical diagnosis of ADHD and confirmation of diagnostic criteria on the Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and OCD and Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Child and Adolescent Version (DIAMOND-KID) 4. Parent rating on The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Second Edition (BRIEF-2), Parent Form: Working Memory scale T-Score \> 60 AND Inhibition scale T-Score \> 60 5. IQ \> 70 Exclusion Criteria Participants will be screened to exclude individuals with neurological or medical conditions that might confound the results, as well as to exclude participants in whom MRI or TMS might result in increased risk of side effects or complications. Common contraindications include metallic hardware in the body, cardiac pacemaker, patients with an implanted medication pumps or an intracardiac line, or prescription of medications known to lower seizure threshold. These account for most of the exclusion criteria listed below: 1. Intracranial pathology from a known genetic disorder (e.g., NF1, tuberous sclerosis) or from acquired neurologic disease (e.g. stroke, tumor), cerebral palsy, history of severe head injury, or significant dysmorphology 2. History of fainting spells of unknown or undetermined etiology that might constitute seizures 3. History of seizures, diagnosis of epilepsy, or immediate (1st degree relative) family history epilepsy 4. Any progressive (e.g., neurodegenerative) neurological disorder 5. Chronic (particularly) uncontrolled medical conditions that may cause a medical emergency in case of a provoked seizure (cardiac malformation, cardiac dysrhythmia, asthma, etc.) 6. Contraindicated metal implants in the head, brain or spinal cord (excluding dental implants or fillings) 7. Non-removable makeup or piercings 8. Pacemaker, implanted medication pump, or ventriculo-peritoneal shunt 9. Vagal nerve stimulator, deep brain stimulator, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation unit 10. Signs of increased intracranial pressure 11. Intracranial lesion 12. History of head injury resulting in prolonged loss of consciousness 13. Substance abuse or dependence within past six months (i.e., DSM-5 substance use disorder criteria) 14. Chronic treatment with prescription medications that decrease cortical seizure threshold, not including psychostimulant medication if deemed to be medically safe as part of the medical review process. 15. Active psychosis or mania 16. Acute suicidal intent 17. Current pregnancy 18. Significant visual, hearing or speech impairment 19. Dental braces 20. Current wards of the state
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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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E. P. Bradley Hospital
RECRUITINGEast Providence, Rhode Island, 02915, United States
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