Randomised sham-controlled study of high-frequency bilateral deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS) to treat adult attention hyperactive disorder (ADHD): negative results
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Recent studies support the possible effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) as a treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and possible efficacy of bilateral prefrontal deep rTMS for the treatment of adult ADHD. METHODS: Twenty-six adult ADHD patients were randomised blindly to sham or actual deep TMS (dTMS). Twenty daily sessions were conducted using the bilateral H5 dTMS coil (Brainsway, IL) in order to stimulate the prefrontal cortex at 120% of the motor threshold at high frequency. For assessment, Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale questionnaire and a computerised continuous performance test, Test of Variables of Attention, were used. RESULTS: No differences in clinical outcomes were detected between the actual dTMS and sham groups. CONCLUSIONS: The presented evidence does not support the utility of bilateral prefrontal stimulation to treat adult ADHD. Due to the small sample size, caution must be exercised in interpreting our preliminary findings.
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In Paz et al. (2017), improvement in ADHD symptoms occurred in both deep TMS and sham groups, suggesting a placebo effect, and no cognitive improvements occurred in either group.
“The study found an improvement in ADHD symptoms in both groups suggesting a placebo effect and no cognitive improvements in either group (Paz et al., 2017).”
From Cognitive Neuroscience of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Its Clinical Translation (2018) · cites this paper as Paz et al., 2017
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“The study found an improvement in ADHD symptoms in both groups suggesting a placebo effect and no cognitive improvements in either group (Paz et al., 2017).”
Background
- Authors
- Paz, Y., Friedwald, K., Levkovitz, Y., Zangen, A., Alyagon, U., Nitzan, U., Segev, A., Maoz, H., Koubi, M., & Bloch, Y.
- Affiliations
- Tel Aviv University (IL)
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (IL)
- Corresponding author
- Bloch, Yuval
- Venue
- The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2017-01-31
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 561-566
- ISSN
- 1562-2975 (ISSN-L)
- 1814-1412
- OpenAlex
- W2578823307
- Cited by
- 45
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 1.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Brainsway
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Keywords
- adult ADHD, deep transcranial magnetic stimulation, high-frequency stimulation, treatment efficacy, safety, continuous performance test, Conners' Adult ADHD Rating Scale
- MeSH terms
- Negative Results, Adult, Attention, Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Female, Humans, Israel, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Treatment Outcome, Prefrontal Cortex, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Young Adult
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