Effects of Exercise Intensity on ADHD Symptoms

Effects of Low, Moderate, and High Intensity Exercise on Executive Function, Functional Impairment, and Symptom Severity in ADHD

This project investigates the effects of a bicycling exercise at three levels of exercise intensity (low, moderate, and high) on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in college students. Specifically, the outcomes of interest in this study are self-reported executive functioning, self-reported functional impairment, and ADHD symptom severity. The hypothesis is that exercise will improve executive functioning, while reducing functional impairment and ADHD symptom severity, and that this response will be most pronounced in the high-intensity exercise group.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: ADHD; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Cycling Exercise

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 28
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Kent, Ohio, United States, 44242
      • Kent State University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Diagnosis of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) Age 18-16 Student at Kent State University

Exclusion Criteria:

seizures/epilepsy syncope asthma chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) restrictive lung disease adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) heart problems/defects/heart failure/valve problems liver/kidney disease diabetes mellitus current pregnancy

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Low Intensity; The low intensity arm will perform 20 minutes of steady-state cycling on an airdyne bike. Intensity will be confirmed with continuous heart rate measurement, and heart rate should not exceed 65% of maximal heart rate (220-age) in this arm.	Behavioral: Cycling Exercise; Each arm will perform a 20-minute cycling intervention on an airdyne bike at different exercise intensity levels. Participants will perform the intervention three times over the course of one week.
Experimental: Moderate Intensity; The moderate intensity arm will perform 20 minutes of steady-state cycling on an airdyne bike, maintaining heart rate between 65-85% of maximal heart rate.	Behavioral: Cycling Exercise; Each arm will perform a 20-minute cycling intervention on an airdyne bike at different exercise intensity levels. Participants will perform the intervention three times over the course of one week.
Experimental: High-Intensity; The high-intensity arm will perform a 3-minute steady-state cycling warm up on an airdyne bike, followed by 16 minutes of high intensity interval training (HIIT) cycling. The HIIT protocol consists of alternating periods of 20 seconds of high-intensity effort and 120 seconds of return to low-intensity steady-state cycling. The heart rate goal to ensure high-intensity effort is to maintain heart rate > 85% maximal heart rate during the 20 second high-intensity bursts.	Behavioral: Cycling Exercise; Each arm will perform a 20-minute cycling intervention on an airdyne bike at different exercise intensity levels. Participants will perform the intervention three times over the course of one week.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Self-Reported Executive Function	Self-reported executive function will be measured using a modified version of the Barkley Executive Function Scale (BDEFS)	The BDEFS will be assessed on the first day of participation in an exercise intervention (session 1) and again on the last day of the intervention (session 3). Session 1 occurs on a Monday, session 2 on a Wednesday, and Session 3 on a Friday.
Self-Reported Functional Impairment	Self-Reported Functional Impairment will be measured using a modified version of the Barkley Functional Impairment Scale (BFIS)	The BFIS will be assessed on the first day of participation in an exercise intervention (session 1) and again on the last day of the intervention (session 3). Session 1 occurs on a Monday, session 2 on a Wednesday, and Session 3 on a Friday.
Self-Reported ADHD Symptom Severity	Self-Reported ADHD Symptom Severity will be measured using the Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale IV (BAARS-IV)	The BAARS-IV will be assessed on the first day of participation in an exercise intervention (session 1) and again on the last day of the intervention (session 3). Session 1 occurs on a Monday, session 2 on a Wednesday, and Session 3 on a Friday.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Kent State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 6, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 25, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): November 25, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 5, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 20, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 20, 2024
• Last Verified: December 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neurologic Manifestations; Nervous System Diseases; Mental Disorders; Neurodevelopmental Disorders; Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders; Dyskinesias; Hyperkinesis; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity
• Other Study ID Numbers: 1265

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No