TY - JOUR
T1 - The effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with cognitive training on EEG spectral power in adolescent boys with ADHD
T2 - A double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial
AU - Westwood, Samuel J.
AU - Bozhilova, Natali
AU - Criaud, Marion
AU - Lam, Sheut Ling
AU - Lukito, Steve
AU - Wallace-Hanlon, Sophie
AU - Kowalczyk, Olivia S.
AU - Kostara, Afroditi
AU - Mathew, Joseph
AU - Wexler, Bruce E.
AU - Kadosh, Roi Cohen
AU - Asherson, Philip
AU - Rubia, Katya
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by grants from Action Medical Research ( GN2426 ), the Garfield Weston Foundation , and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Center at South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust , and King's College London to KR. KR has received additional research support for other projects from the Medical Research Council ( MR/P012647/1 ), and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Center at South London and the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and King's College London. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. The funders were not involved in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the article for publication.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors
PY - 2022/6
Y1 - 2022/6
N2 - Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a possible alternative to psychostimulants in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but its mechanisms of action in children and adolescents with ADHD are poorly understood. We conducted the first 15-session, sham-controlled study of anodal tDCS over right inferior frontal cortex (rIFC) combined with cognitive training (CT) in 50 children/adolescents with ADHD. We investigated the mechanisms of action on resting and Go/No-Go Task-based QEEG measures in a subgroup of 23 participants with ADHD (n, sham = 10; anodal tDCS = 13). We failed to find a significant sham versus anodal tDCS group differences in QEEG spectral power during rest and Go/No-Go Task performance, a correlation between QEEG and Go/No-Go Task performance, and changes in clinical and cognitive measures. These findings extend the non-significant clinical and cognitive effects in our sample of 50 children/adolescents with ADHD. Given that the subgroup of 23 participants would have been underpowered, the interpretation of our findings is limited and should be used as a foundation for future investigations. Larger, adequately powered randomized controlled trials should explore different protocols titrated to the individual and using comprehensive measures to assess cognitive, clinical, and neural effects of tDCS and its underlying mechanisms of action in ADHD.
AB - Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a possible alternative to psychostimulants in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), but its mechanisms of action in children and adolescents with ADHD are poorly understood. We conducted the first 15-session, sham-controlled study of anodal tDCS over right inferior frontal cortex (rIFC) combined with cognitive training (CT) in 50 children/adolescents with ADHD. We investigated the mechanisms of action on resting and Go/No-Go Task-based QEEG measures in a subgroup of 23 participants with ADHD (n, sham = 10; anodal tDCS = 13). We failed to find a significant sham versus anodal tDCS group differences in QEEG spectral power during rest and Go/No-Go Task performance, a correlation between QEEG and Go/No-Go Task performance, and changes in clinical and cognitive measures. These findings extend the non-significant clinical and cognitive effects in our sample of 50 children/adolescents with ADHD. Given that the subgroup of 23 participants would have been underpowered, the interpretation of our findings is limited and should be used as a foundation for future investigations. Larger, adequately powered randomized controlled trials should explore different protocols titrated to the individual and using comprehensive measures to assess cognitive, clinical, and neural effects of tDCS and its underlying mechanisms of action in ADHD.
KW - ADHD
KW - EEG
KW - TDCS
KW - Treatment
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85121653117&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ibneur.2021.12.005
DO - 10.1016/j.ibneur.2021.12.005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85121653117
SN - 2667-2421
VL - 12
SP - 55
EP - 64
JO - IBRO Neuroscience Reports
JF - IBRO Neuroscience Reports
ER -