Acute Effects of Exercise in College Students With ADHD
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).
Conditions:
🦠 Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 🦠 Effects of; Exertion 🦠 Working Memory 🦠 Change in Sustained Attention
🗓️ Study Start (Actual) 8 October 2018
🗓️ Primary Completion (Estimated) 30 June 2025
✅ Study Completion (Estimated) 30 December 2025
👥 Enrollment (Estimated) 48
🔬 Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
📊 Phase NA
Locations:
📍 Laramie, Wyoming, United States

📋 Eligibility Criteria

Description

    Inclusion Criteria:

    • * Age between 18 and 29 years.
    • * University of Wyoming (UW) or Laramie County Community College (LCCC) student.

    Exclusion Criteria:

    • * Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentations of ADHD (ADHD-HI), as this presentation is unusual in adulthood.
    • * Use of medications that negatively affect cognitive performance (e.g., sedatives, antipsychotics).
    • * Pregnancy or trying to become pregnant.
    • * Non-ambulatory or relying on walking aids for ambulation.
    • * History of a stroke or an aneurysm.
    • * High risk for physical exercise contraindications due to genetic/medical conditions (e.g., cardiovascular or pulmonary disease).
    • * Exercise or physical activity restrictions imposed by a health provider.
Ages Eligible for Study: 18 Years to 29 Years (ADULT)
Sexes Eligible for Study: ALL
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

🗓️ 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 Registration Dates

  • First Submitted 31 August 2018
  • First Submitted that Met QC Criteria 9 September 2018
  • First Posted 11 September 2018

Study Record Updates

  • Last Update Submitted that Met QC Criteria 7 June 2024
  • Last Update Posted 10 June 2024
  • Last Verified June 2024