Recruiting

Exercise

Sponsor:

University of Wyoming

Code:

NCT03666416

Conditions

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Effects of; Exertion

Working Memory

Change in Sustained Attention

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 29

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Interventions

Sprint Interval Training

Study Details

Brief summary:

The overall objective of this study is to examine physical exercise as an intervention for ADHD. The rationale for the proposed study is that physical exercise could serve as an effective treatment for college students with ADHD that has low costs, low risks, and ancillary health benefits and may address the limitations of existing treatments. The central hypothesis is that college students with ADHD will exhibit greater degrees of improvement in executive functioning (i.e., sustained attention, working memory) immediately following sprint interval training (SIT), relative to non-ADHD peers. This hypothesis was formulated based on preliminary studies demonstrating reduced ADHD symptoms and improved executive functioning following physical exercise. Multiple 2 (ADHD vs. control) x 2 (male vs. female) x 2 (exercise vs. none) repeated measures ANOVAs will be conducted to compare students with ADHD (n = 24) to controls (n = 24).

The expected outcomes are to confirm this hypothesis and demonstrate the need for further study of physical exercise. If confirmed, the results will provide pilot data for a larger NIH grant proposal aimed at further examining the acute effects of physical exercise (i.e., improved cognitive functioning immediately following exercise) and also the chronic effects of physical exercise (i.e., improved functioning after engaging in regular exercise for an extended period). This outcome is expected to have an important positive impact because physical exercise may serve as an effective treatment for college students with ADHD that is less risky than stimulants, less time-consuming than therapy, and provides ancillary health benefits (i.e., increasing physical fitness, decreasing obesity).

Conditions

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Effects of; Exertion

Working Memory

Change in Sustained Attention

Study ID

NCT03666416

Start date

Oct 8, 2018

Status verified date

Jun, 2024

Completion date

Dec 30, 2025

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jun 30, 2025

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 18 - 29

Healthy Volunteers: Accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age between 18 and 29 years.
  • University of Wyoming (UW) or Laramie County Community College (LCCC) student.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentations of ADHD (ADHD-HI), as this presentation is unusual in adulthood.
  • Use of medications that negatively affect cognitive performance (e.g., sedatives, antipsychotics).
  • Pregnancy or trying to become pregnant.
  • Non-ambulatory or relying on walking aids for ambulation.
  • History of a stroke or an aneurysm.
  • High risk for physical exercise contraindications due to genetic/medical conditions (e.g., cardiovascular or pulmonary disease).
  • Exercise or physical activity restrictions imposed by a health provider.

Study Design

Enrollment

48 participants

Anticipated

Intervention Model

Single group

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Sprint Interval Training

Participants will be scheduled for two in-lab experimental appointments: sprint interval training (SIT) and Non-SIT. During the SIT appointment, the researcher will lead the participant through a set of stretches and three minutes of low-intensity cycling on a Schwinn AD2 Airdyne leg-cycling and arm-cranking ergometer to warm up and increase blood flow to active muscles. Participants will then complete 16 minutes of SIT, consisting of eight bouts of 20 seconds of cycling followed by 100 seconds of rest. Participants will complete computer-based tests of sustained attention and working memory during both the SIT (15 minutes following the exercise) and Non-SIT appointments.

Interventions

Sprint Interval Training

Participants will attend two experimental appointments, during which they will complete two identical executive functioning tasks (i.e., sustained attention, working memory). During one appointment, participants will receive the sprint interval training manipulation prior to completing the tasks.

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in Continuous Performance Test (CPT) from appointment 1 to 2 [ Time Frame: Completed at each experimental appointment over a period of two weeks ]
  • Change in Digit Span from appointment 1 to 2 [ Time Frame: Completed at each experimental appointment over a period of two weeks ]
  • Change in Letter-Number Sequencing from appointment 1 to 2 [ Time Frame: Completed at each experimental appointment over a period of two weeks ]
  • Change in Spatial Span (SS) from appointment 1 to 2 [ Time Frame: Completed at each experimental appointment over a period of two weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Cynthia M Hartung, Ph.D.

307-314-2123chartung@uwyo.edu

Locations

University of Wyoming

Recruiting

Laramie, Wyoming, United States, 82071

Contacts

Cynthia M Hartung, Ph.D.

307-314-2123chartung@uwyo.edu

More Information

Sponsor

University of Wyoming

Last update posted

Jun 10, 2024

Last verified

Jun, 2024

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-19. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Wyoming on 2024-06-10.