Den här översättningen är inte klar ännu. Den här sidan är just nu på engelska.

Gå till den engelska sidan

Can a quick brain zap boost memory in ADHD teens?

NCT ID NCT03480737

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether a type of brain stimulation called intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) can improve working memory in 14 adolescents with ADHD. Each participant received one session each of iTBS, standard TMS, and fake TMS. Brain activity was measured before and after. The goal was to see if iTBS could enhance the brain's natural rhythms linked to memory. This is a very early step to see if the approach is worth testing further.

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 Magstim Super Rapid2 stimulator
What this could lead to
If this works, it could point toward a new way to treat working memory problems in teens with ADHD using brain stimulation.
What could go wrong
This is a very small, early study with only 14 people. It tests only a single session, not long-term effects. The results may not lead to a real treatment.

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

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

14 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Nov 2019

Finished

Mar 2023

Lead sponsor

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

13 to 17 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

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

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Ability to provide assent and have parent provide parental permission 2. English fluency 3. 13-17 years 4. List Sorting Test (NIH Toolbox) performance: Greater than 1.0 standard deviation (SD) below normative mean 5. Parent rating on BRIEF-2 Working Memory: Greater than 1.0 SD above normative mean 6. IQ \> 80 7. Clinical diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): predominantly inattentive type, predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type, combined type, or unspecified type. Diagnostic criteria will be confirmed with NICHQ Vanderbilt Assessment Scales-Parent. 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 rTMS might result in increased risk of side effects or complications. Common TMS 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. This accounts for the majority of the exclusion criteria listed: 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. Pacemaker 8. Implanted medication pump 9. Vagal nerve stimulator 10. Deep brain stimulator 11. TENS unit (unless removed completely for the study) 12. Ventriculo-peritoneal shunt 13. Signs of increased intracranial pressure 14. Intracranial lesion (including incidental finding on MRI) 15. History of head injury resulting in prolonged loss of consciousness 16. Substance abuse or dependence within past six months (i.e., DSM-5 substance use disorder criteria met) 17. Chronic treatment with prescription medications that decrease cortical seizure threshold

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for ADHD with working memory deficits are added.

Vår säkerhetsrekommendation!

Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor

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.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • E. P. Bradley Hospital

    East Providence, Rhode Island, 02915, United States