ADHD affects about 10% of children and 4% of adults in the U.S., making it one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions. Treatment typically combines stimulant medications like methylphenidate or amphetamine with behavioral therapy. Many people manage symptoms well with current treatments, though side effects and individual variation drive ongoing research.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing non-stimulant medications that work through different pathways, digital therapeutics that deliver behavioral interventions through apps and games, and treatments targeting specific symptoms like emotional dysregulation. Researchers are also studying ADHD in adults, where it's been historically understudied, and exploring how medication timing affects sleep and daily functioning.
Non-stimulant medications
New drugs targeting norepinephrine, histamine, and other brain systems aim to help people who don't respond to stimulants or can't tolerate their side effects. Several have reached late-stage trials in both children and adults.
Digital therapeutics
FDA-cleared video game treatments and app-based behavioral programs are being tested as alternatives or add-ons to medication. These aim to improve attention and executive function through targeted cognitive exercises.
Adult ADHD
More trials now focus specifically on adults, testing medications at different doses than those used in children and addressing workplace and relationship challenges. This research is filling a gap in understanding how ADHD presents and responds to treatment across the lifespan.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on ADHD subtype, symptom severity, age, previous medication trials, and presence of other conditions like anxiety or depression.
What types of trials are currently open
- Medication trials — Testing new stimulant and non-stimulant drugs, different formulations that last longer or work faster, and combinations of medications.
- Digital intervention trials — Studies of apps, video games, and online programs designed to improve attention, organization, and impulse control through repeated practice.
- Behavioral therapy trials — Testing different forms of therapy, parent training programs, and school-based interventions to help manage ADHD symptoms.
- Symptom-specific trials — Focusing on individual challenges like emotional regulation, sleep problems, or executive function rather than ADHD as a whole.
- Long-term outcome studies — Following people with ADHD over years to understand how symptoms change, what predicts good outcomes, and the long-term effects of treatment.
Recently added ADHD trials
Try a 6-week music listening program for ADHD
This study will evaluate the feasibility and potential effects of a six-week, music-based binaural beats stimulation program in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Forty adults with ADHD will be randomly assigned to either a binaural beat stimulation group or a control group. Both groups will attend 12 supervised listening sessions over six weeks and listen to similar music for 20 minutes per session; however, only the intervention group's music will contain embedded binaural beats. Cognitive assessments will be completed before and after the intervention to evaluate changes in attention and memory. Session attendance and participant retention will also be examined to assess the feasibility and acceptability of the program.
Try brain training and parent coaching for childhood ADHD
Initial non-randomized trial of behavioral parent training (BPT) compared to central executive training (CET), followed by a randomized controlled trial of CET+BPT for young children with ADHD.
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