Working Memory Training in Adults With ADHD

September 2, 2020 updated by: Ylva Ginsberg, MD, PhD, Karolinska Institutet

Computerised Working Memory Training in Adults With ADHD: A Randomised Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether computerised working memory training improves cognitive performance, ADHD symptoms, psychosocial functioning and quality of life in adults with ADHD, from psychiatric outpatient clinics (N=100) as well as from a high-security prison facility (N=50).

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The primary aim is to evaluate whether 5 weeks of computerised working memory training improves working memory capacity. Secondary aims are to explore whether improvements in working memory capacity will be transferred to improvements in learning abilities and fluid intelligence. Also, far transfer effects on executive functioning, ADHD symptoms, psychosocial functioning and quality of life will be explored. Finally, it will also be assessed to what extent improvements gained from 5 weeks of working memory training will be maintained 3 and 6 months post-study, respectively.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
102

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Sweden
      • Stockholm, Sweden, 171 77
        • Karolinska Institutet

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Confirmed ADHD according to DSM-IV criteria; ADHD combined type, ADHD inattentive type or ADHD UNS, primarily inattentive type.
  • Unmedicated for ADHD during the course of the trial, or being under stable ADHD medication for at least one month at baseline visit and without any planned changes in medication until post-study assessments have taken place.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous participation in computerised working memory training (completed training).
  • Any psychiatric disorder that in the judgment of the investigator, may interfere with study participation and/or study assessments, also including current substance abuse.
  • Participation in psychological treatment addressing ADHD during the course of the 5-week training period (psychoeducation is accepted).
  • Initiation of psychological treatment for coexistent disorders during the course of the study (treatment already ongoing at baseline visit is accepted if there are no planned changes during the 5-week training period).

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Quadruple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Flex working memory training
30-40 minutes of working memory training, 5 days a week for 5 weeks
Behavioral: Flex working memory training
30-40 minutes of working memory training, 5 days a week for 5 weeks
Placebo Comparator: Control version of Flex
30-40 minutes of training with a control version of Flex, 5 days a week for 5 weeks.
Behavioral: Flex working memory training
30-40 minutes of working memory training, 5 days a week for 5 weeks

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in a composite measure of working memory capacity
Time Frame: Baseline and 7 weeks

The composite measure of working memory capacity comprises the sum score of:

  • Digit Span score (forwards/backwards)
  • Span Board score (forwards/backwards)
  • Arithmetics score
  • Spatial Working Memory score
Baseline and 7 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in a composite measure of working memory capacity
Time Frame: Baseline and 31 weeks
The composite measure of working memory capacity will be assessed in a 6-month follow-up conducted at week 31 post-baseline, equivalent to week 24 post-intervention, to assess retention of any training-related improvements.
Baseline and 31 weeks
Change in Digit Span Forwards/Backwards score
Time Frame: Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Evaluating changes in both Digit Span forwards and backwards scores, as measures of simple verbal working memory capacity.
Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Change in Span Board Forwards/Backwards score
Time Frame: Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Evaluating changes in both Span Board forwards and backwards scores as measures of simple visuo-spatial working memory capacity.
Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Change in Arithmetics score
Time Frame: Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Evaluating change in Arithmetics score, as a measure of complex verbal working memory capacity as well as of mathematics ability.
Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Change in Spatial Working Memory score
Time Frame: Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Evaluating change in Spatial Working Memory score as a measure of complex visuo-spatial working memory capacity.
Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Change in Qbtest scores
Time Frame: Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Evaluating changes in Qbtest, a computerised CPT that in addition to measuring inattention and impulsivity also captures motor activity by an IR device during performance of the CPT.
Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Change in Raven´s Standard Progressive Matrices score
Time Frame: Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Evaluating change in score of a short version of Raven´s Standard Progressive Matrices, as a measure of fluid intelligence.
Baseline, 7 and 31 weeks
Change in Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) Symptom Checklist
Time Frame: Baseline, 7, 19, and 31 weeks
Evaluating changes in ADHD symptoms by self-reported and informant-reported (significant other) versions of ASRS-v1.1, conducted at baseline, post-intervention, at 3-month and 6-month follow-up.
Baseline, 7, 19, and 31 weeks
Change in Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS)
Time Frame: Baseline, 7, 19, and 31 weeks
Evaluating changes in psychosocial functioning by the self-reported SDS conducted at baseline, post-intervention, at 3-month and 6-month follow-up.
Baseline, 7, 19, and 31 weeks
Change in EuroQol- 5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) questionnaire
Time Frame: Baseline, 7, 19, and 31 weeks
Evaluating change in health-related quality of life by the self-reported generic QoL questionnaire EQ-5D, conducted at baseline, post-intervention, at 3-month and 6-month follow-up.
Baseline, 7, 19, and 31 weeks
Change in Adult ADHD Quality of Life Measure (AAQoL)
Time Frame: Baseline, 7, 19, and 31 weeks
Evaluating change in health-related quality of life by the self-reported ADHD specific QoL measure AAQoL, conducted at baseline, post-intervention, at 3-month and 6-month follow-up.
Baseline, 7, 19, and 31 weeks
Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale-Self report (MADRS-S)
Time Frame: Baseline and 7 weeks
Evaluating if depressive symptoms during the training period, as measured by the self-reported MADRS-S will influence adherence to and results of the working memory training.
Baseline and 7 weeks
Adverse events
Time Frame: Baseline and 7 weeks
All adverse events that occurred during the course of the 5-week intervention will be collected as part of the post-intervention assessments at week 7.
Baseline and 7 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Karolinska Institutet

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Region Stockholm
Swedish Prison and Probation Services
The Söderströmska-Königska Foundation

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Ylva Ginsberg, MD, PhD, Karolinska Institutet
  • Study Director: Henrik Larsson, PhD, Karolinska Institutet

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 1, 2013

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 15, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 15, 2018

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 15, 2011

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 18, 2011

First Posted (Estimate)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 22, 2011

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
September 3, 2020

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
September 2, 2020

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
September 1, 2020

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • X002
  • DAT-NSP (Other Identifier: Karolinska Institutet)
  • DAT-KV (Other Identifier: Karolinska Institutet)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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