Fronto-Parietal Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation for ADHD in Children and Adolescents
Key facts
- Who runs it
- Central South University
- Where
- China1 site in 1 countryChoose a country to see its sites
- Trial code
- Status
- Completed
- People taking part
- 38 people enrolled
- Started
- 26 Mar 2026
- Ended
- 29 Jun 2026
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groups
- Treatments tested
- Active transcranial alternating current stimulation
- Sham transcranial alternating current stimulation
- Record updated
- 1 July 2026
Who can take part
- Age
- 6 years to 18 years
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Cannot take part
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 13 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Aged 6-18 years, Han Chinese, and right-handed
- Normal or corrected-to-normal vision and normal hearing
- Meets the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, predominantly inattentive presentation
- Meets the diagnostic threshold for inattention based on the parent-rated SNAP-IV scale
- Performance on the symbol cancellation test, converted to a grade-standardized score, is below the average level
- Has normal intelligence as confirmed by a brief intelligence assessment, with no significant emotional disorder or severe physical illness
- Able to cooperate with electroencephalography recording and transcranial alternating current stimulation
Who cannot take part
- Is currently receiving other pharmacological or behavioral treatment for ADHD, such as methylphenidate medication or behavioral intervention
- Meets diagnostic criteria for other major psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder
- Has severe physical diseases, such as significant intracranial lesions, thyroid disease, epilepsy, congenital heart disease, severe hematological disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, or significant visual or hearing impairment
- Has severe neurological disease, a clear family history of hereditary neurological disorders, or other conditions associated with high neurological risk
- Has metal implants or a cardiac pacemaker in the body, or has skull defects, holes, or fractures
- Has known obvious brain structural abnormalities based on available cranial imaging or medical history
This trial has no sites in United States.
It has sites in one country. Choose a country to see its sites.
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition in children and adolescents and is often associated with difficulties in attention, inhibitory control, working memory, and other executive functions. The fronto-parietal brain network is thought to play an important role in these cognitive functions. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that may influence brain activity. This study aims to evaluate whether 5-Hz tACS targeting the right frontal and parietal regions can improve executive functioning in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years with ADHD. The study also aims to explore whether any effects of tACS are related to changes in brain activity measured by electroencephalography (EEG). Participants will receive both active tACS and sham stimulation in a randomized, double-blind, crossover design. Clinical symptoms, executive function performance, and EEG measures will be assessed before and after each stimulation session. The main hypothesis is that active fronto-parietal tACS will produce greater improvement in executive functioning than sham stimulation, and that these effects may be associated with changes in EEG-measured brain activity.
The 2 groups in the trial
- Active tACS followed by sham stimulationTreatment being tested
Participants randomized to this arm will receive active transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) first, followed by sham stimulation after a washout interval of at least 2 days. Both interventions will use the same right frontoparietal electrode montage.
Treatment: Active transcranial alternating current stimulation and Sham transcranial alternating current stimulation
- Sham stimulation followed by active tACSTreatment being tested
Participants randomized to this arm will receive sham stimulation first, followed by active transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) after a washout interval of at least 2 days. Both interventions will use the same right frontoparietal electrode montage.
Treatment: Active transcranial alternating current stimulation and Sham transcranial alternating current stimulation
Data and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Effects and Neural Mechanisms of Fronto-Parietal Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation in Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
- Record updated
- 1 July 2026