Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Treatment Could Significantly Improve ADHD Symptoms, According to New Hebrew University Study

Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation Treatment Could Significantly Improve ADHD Symptoms, According to New Hebrew University Study

JERUSALEM, August 8, 2023 - Transcranial random noise stimulation [a mild electrical current on the brain sent through two electrodes attached to the scalp (tRNS)] combined with cognitive training, could significantly improve attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in children, according to new research conducted by the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) and the University of Surrey.

ADHD is a brain condition that affects attention, activity, and impulsivity. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 5% of children worldwide have ADHD, which typically involves struggling with focus, memory, and self-control. In the U.S., approximately 10.2% of children have been diagnosed with ADHD, according to a 2019 JAMA Pediatrics study.

In the study published by Translational Psychiatry, a small clinical trial was conducted involving unmedicated children ages 6-12 diagnosed with ADHD, to determine whether tRNS during cognitive training can improve ADHD symptoms.

After a two-week program of brain stimulation, the study found that 55% of children showed significant clinical improvements in ADHD symptoms, as reported by their parents. This was compared to 17% percent in the control group, who also showed improvement after receiving placebo brain stimulation during cognitive training.

The study also found that participants maintained these improvements three weeks after the end of the treatment, with nearly two-thirds (64%) reporting clinically meaningful responses to the treatments compared to 33% in the control group.

“This is an important first step in offering new therapeutic options for ADHD," says Dr. Mor Nahum, co-lead of the study and Head of the Computerized Neurotherapy Lab at Hebrew University, where the study took place. "Future studies, with larger and more varied samples, should help establish this as a viable therapy for ADHD, and help us understand the underlying disorder mechanisms.”

"Treating ADHD with medication improves a child’s attention span and overall mood; however, in certain cases there can be side effects including headache and a loss of appetite," says Ornella Dakwar-Kawar, a Hebrew University post-doctoral researcher. "There is, therefore, a pressing need for developing and testing novel, non-pharmacological, interventions for ADHD. Results from the current proof-of-concept study provide a preliminary direction toward a novel intervention in pediatric ADHD."

This research was funded by a grant from the Israel Innovation Authority to Innosphere Engineering Ltd. which makes the wearable tRNS medical device.

About the Hebrew University of Jerusalem 

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is Israel's premier academic and research institution. Serving over 23,000 students from 80 countries, the university produces nearly 40% of Israel’s civilian scientific research and has received over 11,000 patents. Faculty and alumni of the Hebrew University have won eight Nobel Prizes and a Fields Medal. For more information about the Hebrew University, please visit http://new.huji.ac.il/en. 

About American Friends of the Hebrew University

American Friends of the Hebrew University (AFHU) is a national, not-for-profit organization based in the United States. AFHU is headquartered in New York and has seven regional offices working in close partnership with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. AFHU provides supporters, Hebrew University alumni, and the public with stimulating programs and events and organizes missions to Israel. The organization’s fundraising activities support scholarly and scientific achievement at the Hebrew University, create scholarships, construct new facilities, and assist the university’s efforts to attract and retain outstanding faculty.

For more information, please visit http://www.afhu.org/.

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