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Aerobic Exercise only for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

N/A
Waitlist Available
Led By Lily Hechtman, MD, FRCPC
Research Sponsored by McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Be between 18 and 65 years old
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up completed before each medication visit, every 1 - 2 weeks up to 6 weeks.
Awards & highlights

Study Summary

The purpose of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured aerobic exercise intervention for adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) with and without medication and compare it to medication alone. Participants will be randomly assigned to medication only + education, aerobic exercise intervention only, and combined aerobic exercise and medication groups. Participants will be evaluated at baseline, following medication optimization (for medicated groups), following 8 weeks of intervention, after 3 months of follow-up, and after 6 months of follow-up. The investigators hypothesize that the combined group will have the best outcome at all evaluation points and that treatment gains will be maintained throughout the follow-up period if the assigned treatments are continued.

Eligible Conditions
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~completed before each medication visit, every 1 - 2 weeks up to 6 weeks.
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and completed before each medication visit, every 1 - 2 weeks up to 6 weeks. for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Outcome measures can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary outcome measures
Self-reported ADHD symptoms (measured via Barkley's Current ADHD Symptoms Scale) - Change from baseline
Secondary outcome measures
Anxiety Symptoms (measured via the Beck Anxiety Inventory) - Change from baseline
Depression symptoms (via the Beck Depression Inventory) - Change from baseline
Dyadic adjustment (for those married or cohabiting, measured via the Dyadic Adjustment Scale) - Change from baseline
+4 more

Trial Design

3Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: Aerobic Exercise onlyExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants attend a structured aerobic exercise class, twice a week for 8 weeks.
Group II: Combination GroupActive Control2 Interventions
Participants assigned to this group will be optimally medicated (either stimulant or non-stimulant medication - approved for clinical use in Canada) and will attend a structured aerobic exercise class, twice a week for 8 weeks.
Group III: Medication onlyActive Control1 Intervention
Stimulant or non-stimulant medication only - Methylphenidate compounds and /or Amphetamine compounds and/or Strattera or Guanfacine. Investigators will be using a product approved for clinical use in Canada), with dose optimized for each participant based on report of efficacy and side effects. Once on an optimal dose of stimulant or non-stimulant medication they will attend 8 weekly education sessions about ADHD.
Treatment
First Studied
Drug Approval Stage
How many patients have taken this drug
Aerobic Exercise
2013
Completed Early Phase 1
~1310

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

McGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health CentreLead Sponsor
442 Previous Clinical Trials
159,104 Total Patients Enrolled
2 Trials studying Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
542 Patients Enrolled for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Lily Hechtman, MD, FRCPCPrincipal InvestigatorMcGill University Health Centre/Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre
3 Previous Clinical Trials
742 Total Patients Enrolled
3 Trials studying Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
742 Patients Enrolled for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

Who else is applying?

What state do they live in?
Ontario
North Carolina
How old are they?
18 - 65
What site did they apply to?
Montreal Children's Hospital
What portion of applicants met pre-screening criteria?
Did not meet criteria
Met criteria
Recent research and studies
New England Journal of MedicineJournal
Heart-rate Recovery Immediately After Exercise as a Predictor of Mortality
Cole, Christopher R., Eugene H. Blackstone, Fredric J. Pashkow, Claire E. Snader, and Michael S. Lauer. 1999. “Heart-rate Recovery Immediately After Exercise as a Predictor of Mortality”. New England Journal of Medicine. Massachusetts Medical Society. doi:10.1056/nejm199910283411804.
clinicaltrials.govStudy
The Effectiveness of Aerobic Exercise in the Treatment of Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Lily Hechtman 2016. "The Effectiveness of Aerobic Exercise in the Treatment of Adults With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)". ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02788851.
All > Adhd
~8 spots leftby Apr 2025
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