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CompletedNCT02286349Updated May 6, 2020

Non Invasive Brain Stimulation Effects on Attentional Performance in ADHD Adults

An interventional study of Transcranial magnetic stimulation (Neurosoft®) and Transcranial direct current stimulation (Soterix, USA) in Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, sponsored by Universidade Federal de Pernambuco. Completed. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 50 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-05-06.

Sponsored by Universidade Federal de Pernambuco · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
12
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 50 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study aims to evaluate the effect of noninvasive brain stimulation in adults with ADHD symptomatology compared them with healthy adults. For this, volunteers will allocate into two groups (experimental and control), will pass through session two types of transcranial stimulation: Repetitive Transcranial MagneticsStimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS); considering two session types (real and sham). Attentional assessment will be carried out through specific neurocognitive tests applied before and after each session of stimulation

Read the detailed description

The sample will be divided into four groups: (i) Experimental tDCS; (ii) Experimental rTMS; (iii) tDCS control; and rTMS control. The experimental groups consisted of subjects with ADHD symptomatology. Control groups were formed by healthy individuals.

The subject will be considered healthy when there was no diagnosis of any DSM-IV psychiatric disorder and had symptoms with ADHD when there were frequent presence of at least six symptoms of inattention and / or symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity described by the Adult Self Report Scale (ASRS), a reliable tool for diagnosis of attention deficit / hyperactivity and validated for the Brazilian population.

Both groups underwent two sessions of cortical stimulation: real (rTMS or tDCS) and sham. The order of sessions will be randomized and there will be a minimum interval of at last one week between sessions.

Experimental Sessions

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) With the individual seated comfortable, rTMS will be applied through a magnetic stimulator (Neurosoft®) using a figure-8 coil, positioned on the scalp at an angle of 45 degrees from the midline and pointing toward the anterior region of the skull.

The area stimulated will be the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Before applying rTMS over the DLPFC will be necessary to map the area of the representation of the FID by applying single pulses to measure the motor evoked potential (MEP) and resting motor threshold (RMT). The intensity adopted in real rTMS session will be 80% of the RMT. rTMS will be applied in just one session divided in to 5 blocks of stimulation. Each block will be separated by 5 minutes intervals. In each block 15 rTMS series of 1-second duration at 10 Hz frequency were applied. The interval between sets will be 10 seconds. The sham stimulation will be applied with the same settings real rTMS, but the coil will be not coupled to the magnetic stimulator, so the individual will be not able to differentiate the real session of sham.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) Individuals will be instructed to sit in a chair and get a comfortable position. The continuous electrical current will be applied through a microcurrent stimulator (Soterix, USA). The surface electrodes used in all sessions of this study have dimensions of 5x7cm (35 cm2), were composed of electrically conductive rubber and wrapped in sponges soaked in saline.

For the application of tDCS, the anode will be positioned on DLPFC and cathode in the contralateral supraorbital region. Parameters of intensity and stimulation duration of the current used were previously established in humans: intensity 1mA and duration of 10 minutes. In sham stimulation, sessions will use the same procedures of real tDCS application, however the stimulation device will be switched off five seconds after the start.

Outcome measures - The subjects will be submitted an evaluation before (t0) the application of non-invasive cortical stimulation (active and sham) and immediately after (t1). These assessments consisted of neurocognitive tests that assess cognitive function and attention span of the patients. The tests will be applied (i) Trail Making Test (part A and B); (ii) digit span (forward and reverse order); (iii) digit symbol; (iv) C; (v) D2. Thus, the following items were assessed: (i) attentional focus (digit symbol, AC and trail making-part A); (ii) maintaining the attentional focus (D2 test); (iii) attentional span (digit span forward); (iv) the ability of mental manipulation (digit span backward and trail making test- part B); (v) ability to resist interference (D2 test).

Neuropsychological assessment will be performed by a neuropsychology, blind to the type of experimental session (rTMS / or active tDCS / sham) to which the subject was submitted.

02

Conditions studied

  • Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Keywords

  • Neuromodulation Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
03

In context

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity

1,547 studies on the registry are indexed under Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; 254 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 12 is below the median of 71 across 1,233 interventional studies indexed under Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity.

Browse Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity studies →

Lead sponsor

Universidade Federal de Pernambuco is the lead sponsor of 166 studies on the registry; 22 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 50 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

Experimental group Punctuate 6 items or more (in the "frequently" and / or "quite often" on the Adult Self Report Scale (ASRS-18).

  • Control group Punctuate fewer than six items (in the "frequently" and / or "quite often" on Adult Self Report Scale (ASRS-18) Not exhibit symptoms of other disorders measured by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I).

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • epilepsy;
  • neurosurgery (including implant metal clips);
  • head trauma;
  • implantation of a pacemaker;
  • current use of epileptogenic drugs;
  • uncontrolled severe organic disease.
  • pregnancy.
  • current use of psychostimulant
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Other
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Investigator)
Enrollment
12 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Real rTMS group

    Submitted to 20 minutes of neuropsychological assessment (on average) + 5 blocks of real stimulation intensity of 10 Hz, each block containing 15 series of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with 1 second duration and presenting interval of 10 seconds between sets + 20 minutes of neuropsychological reassessment (on average).

    Device: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (Neurosoft®)

  • Sham comparator
    Sham rTMS group

    Submitted to 20 minutes of neuropsychological assessment (on average) + 5 stimulation sham blocks, each block containing 15 series of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation with 1 second duration and presenting interval of 10 seconds between sets + 20 minutes of neuropsychological reassessment (on average)

    Device: Transcranial magnetic stimulation (Neurosoft®)

  • Experimental
    Real tDCS group

    Submitted to 20 minutes of neuropsychological assessment (on average) + 10 minutes of real anodal transcranial direct current stimulation with intensity of 1 mA + 20 minutes of neuropsychological reassessment (on average).

    Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation (Soterix, USA)

  • Sham comparator
    Sham tDCS group

    Submitted to 20 minutes of neuropsychological assessment (on average) + 10 minutes of sham transcranial direct current stimulation + 20 minutes of neuropsychological reassessment (on average)

    Device: Transcranial direct current stimulation (Soterix, USA)

Interventions

  • DeviceTranscranial magnetic stimulation (Neurosoft®)

    Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

  • DeviceTranscranial direct current stimulation (Soterix, USA)

    Transcranial direct current stimulation

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Digit Span (forward and backward)

    The digit span forward contains eight items of sequence numbers that should be recalled in direct order after reading the examiner and digit span backward contains seven items of sequences of numbers that should be recalled in reverse order. Both are interrupted when two sequences of the same item number is wrong.

    Time frame: The test will be administered before and after each stimulation session for all groups involved in the research. The stimulation sessions present an interval of one week. The whole rTMS session will last 30 minutes and the tDCS session of 10 minutes. The

Secondary outcomes

  1. D2 test

    Characterized as a test of concentrated visual attention and in the broadest sense, the ability to concentrate. It consists of 14 lines, the subjects must identify and scratch at each line the letters "d" having two lines, having a time limit of 20 seconds to complete each line

    Time frame: The test will be administered before and after each stimulation session for all groups involved in the research. The stimulation sessions present an interval of one week. The whole rTMS session will last 30 minutes and the tDCS session of 10 minutes. The

  2. Trail Making Test (A and B)

    Participants are required to draw a line connecting numbered circles in a sequential order in part A. In part B the same task is performed, however, the participant must connect numbered and lettered circles in alternating sequential-alphabetical order. The TMT is presented as a measure of attention, processing speed and mental flexibility.

    Time frame: The test will be administered before and after each stimulation session for all groups involved in the research. The stimulation sessions present an interval of one week. The whole rTMS session will last 30 minutes and the tDCS session of 10 minutes. The

  3. Digit Symbol Modality Test

    The SDMT requires individuals to identify nine different symbols corresponding to the numbers 1 through 9, and to practice writing the correct number under the corresponding symbol. Then they manually fill the blank space under each symbol with the corresponding number. It is a test used to investigate divided attention, visual tracking and motor processing speed.

    Time frame: The test will be administered before and after each stimulation session for all groups involved in the research. The stimulation sessions present an interval of one week. The whole rTMS session will last 30 minutes and the tDCS session of 10 minutes. The

  4. AC Test

    The test aims at maintaining concentrated attention at work. The test consists of 21 lines, each having 21 symbols so that each line should be canceled whenever 7 symbols. The stimuli that must be canceled are found in a rectangle on top of the sheet

    Time frame: The test will be administered before and after each stimulation session for all groups involved in the research. The stimulation sessions present an interval of one week. The whole rTMS session will last 30 minutes and the tDCS session of 10 minutes. The

07

Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

08

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Ran from Sep 2014 to primary completion in Aug 2015, 11 months.

Of 393 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, half reached primary completion within 24 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 12 and three quarters within 43. This study's 11 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 418 studies reached it within 22 months; a quarter within 11 and three quarters within 41.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Nov 4, 2014
First posted
Nov 7, 2014
StartActual
Sep 2014
Primary completionActual
Aug 2015
CompletionActual
Dec 2015
Last update
May 6, 2020
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on May 6, 2020, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02286349
Responsible party
Kátia Monte-Silva (PHD, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco) — Principal investigator
First posted
Nov 7, 2014
Start date
Sep 2014
Primary completion
Aug 2015
Completion
Dec 2015
Last update
May 6, 2020

Study contacts

Kátia Monte-Silva, PHD
principal investigator · Applied Neuroscience Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in May 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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