Train Your Brain and Exercise Your Heart? Advancing the Treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2015-01-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder that has a severe
impact on a child's life and society. The core symptoms are attention problems, hyperactivity
and impulsivity. These symptoms are related to disruptions in neurocognitive functions (such
as inhibition: the ability to stop behavior) and disruptions in cortical regulation (such as
'cortical underarousal' as measured with the electroencephalogram). To date, the only
evidence-based treatment is pharmacological. Medication is not effective in 20-30% of the
children with ADHD and it can have side effects. The lack of alternatives for medication is a
severe problem for these children and society.
Neurofeedback is becoming increasingly popular for treating ADHD. Neurofeedback is a training
in which a person learns to alter its cortical regulation. Neurofeedback has been classified
as 'probably effective' but its treatment effects need further empirical evidence. Non
specific training effects, such as individual attention, may also contribute to treatment
success. In this research project the investigators compare the efficacy of neurofeedback
with exercise, a second non-pharmacological treatment, that may be comparable with
neurofeedback in terms of non-specific effects. Exercise is also a promising treatment
because of its positive effects on behavior, neurocognition in several patient groups. For
these reasons, exercise deserves systematic research in ADHD. Furthermore, the investigators
compare the efficacy of these two treatments with an optimal pharmacological treatment with
methylphenidate (MPH). The main question is if neurofeedback and exercise are comparable in
efficacy with MPH for treating ADHD. The primary outcome measure is behaviour (symptoms of
ADHD). Secondary outcome measures include neurocognition and cortical regulation. This
research project will give answer to the question if neurofeedback and exercise are as
effective as MPH. Furthermore, it will give insight in how these interventions will give rise
to improvements in behavior.
Phase:
Phase 2/Phase 3
Details
Lead Sponsor:
R. van Mourik
Collaborators:
Yulius ZonMw: The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development