Acute Effects of Exercise in College Students With ADHD

Part of paid clinical trials in Laramie, Wyoming.

Sponsor
University of Wyoming
Study ID
NCT03666416
Status
Recruiting
Apply to this trial

Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 29 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Accepted

Interventions

  • Sprint Interval Training — BEHAVIORAL
    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.

Study Details

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).

Key Dates

Start date
Oct 8, 2018
Status verified
Jun 2024
Primary completion
Jun 30, 2025
Completion
Dec 30, 2025

Study Design

Enrollment
48 participants (estimated)
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

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.

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 ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
University of WyomingLaramieWyoming82071
Cynthia M Hartung, Ph.D.
[email protected]
307-314-2123

Find similar trials in Laramie, WY

By condition
ADHD
By specialty
PsychiatryMental healthBehavioral health
By research site
University of Wyoming· Laramie, WY

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