Brain zapping with light: a new hope for attention problems?
NCT ID NCT05802680
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This trial tests whether shining a specific type of near-infrared light on the forehead—called transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM)—can improve attention and reduce impulsivity in adults with and without ADHD. Participants receive either active tPBM or a sham (fake) treatment for 8 minutes, then take a computer-based attention test. The study aims to see if this safe, non-invasive method can boost brain activity in areas linked to focus.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- transcranial photobiomodulation (tPBM) using near-infrared light
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a drug-free way to improve attention in people with ADHD or attention difficulties.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study with a single session of treatment, so any effects may be short-lived or not translate to real-world benefits. The sham control helps, but results may not generalize.
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 500 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Feb 2022
- Expected to finish
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Feb 2027
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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18 years and older
- 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: * 18 years of age or older Exclusion Criteria: * None
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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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The University of Texas at Austin
RECRUITINGAustin, Texas, 78712, United States
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