FocusRun

Background:

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common irregularities in neurological development, affecting adults as well. Psychostimulant medication is the first-line treatment; however, it proves to be partly insufficient. Physical exercise could be a promising adjunct to this conventional approach. In affected children and adolescents, endurance training, in particular, seems to alleviate symptoms, leading to improvements in executive functions, among other benefits. However, findings regarding adults with ADHD are lacking, as are neural explanations for these effects. Additionally, it remains unclear to what extent different training methods (continuous vs. interval) and exercise intensities (moderate vs. intensive) influence the outcomes. A better understanding of the mechanisms of exercise and the impact of training characteristics is crucial for the effective implementation of sports therapy.

Methods:

In the form of a randomized, controlled cross-over study, the following exercise protocols will be performed based on a lactate threshold test: (1) moderate continuous training for 30 minutes, as well as two 20-minute, distance-matched interval training sessions (1 min x 1 min) at (2) moderate and (3) high intensity. In a pre-post design, mood, cognitive performance, and brain activity via electroencephalography (EEG) will be assessed.

This research project is funded by the internal research funding of the German Sport University Cologne to Leonard Braunsmann (L-11-10011-281-152000).