Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40598377›Full record

Trial reportBMC medicine2025

The promoting effects of digital targeted cognitive training in medication treatment for children with ADHD: a randomized controlled trial.

Chen Dang, Yu Zhu, Xiangsheng Luo, Lu Liu, Yuan Feng, Guisen Wu, Shaogen Zhong, Xin Wang, Jianzhao Zhang, Yike Zhu and 9 more

Abstract readMulticenter StudyRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. A Retrospective Study Examining Predictors of Treatment Response in Over 1,300 Children and Adolescents with Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026
    Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

19 authors.

Chen Dang *Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China.
Yu Zhu *Peking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China.
Xiangsheng LuoPeking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China.
Lu LiuPeking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China.
Yuan FengPeking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China.
Guisen WuPeking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China.
Shaogen ZhongPeking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China.
Xin WangDepartment of Neurology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
Jianzhao ZhangDepartment of Neurology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
Yike ZhuDepartment of Child Health, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
Siqi LiuDepartment of Pediatrics, Beijing Friendship Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Ziqi LiuDepartment of Neurology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China.
Li QinBeijing Wispirit Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing, China.
Xiaohui MaBeijing Wispirit Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing, China.
Yufeng WangPeking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China.
Xiaoyi WangBeijing Wispirit Technology Co., Ltd, Beijing, China.
Jian YangDepartment of Neurology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics, Beijing, China. yangjian1306@sina.com.
Changming WangBeijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. superwcm@163.com.
Li SunPeking University Sixth Hospital, Peking University Institute of Mental Health, Beijing, China. sunlioh@bjmu.edu.cn.

Funding

Key Scientific Research Projects of Capital Health Development 2020-1-4111 [Sun]National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82271579 [Yang]National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 82371549 [Sun]the Beijing Municipal Hospital Research and Development Project Xiangsheng Luo, PX2024067the Capital's Funds for Health Improvement and Research Xiangsheng Luo, 2024-4-21210
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAttention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder often managed with medication. Improving cognitive functions alongside medication treatment is crucial for better outcomes. This study mainly aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of combining digitally targeted cognitive training with medication compared to medication monotherapy on ADHD core symptoms. We hypothesized that targeted cognitive training could enhance treatment efficacy when combined with medication.

methodsThis was a randomized parallel-group controlled trial. A total of 124 children with ADHD were randomly allocated to two groups: 64 received medication treatment alone (M), including atomoxetine (ATX) and methylphenidate (MPH); 60 received targeted cognitive training combined with medication (TCT + M), including TCT + ATX and TCT + MPH. Both groups received 8 weeks of treatment. The primary outcome was the changes in ADHD core symptoms measured by the ADHD Rating Scale (ADHD-RS). The secondary outcomes were parent-reported ecological executive functions, social functions, and laboratory cognitive functions.

resultsMain results: When compared with M treatment, the TCT + M treatment did not show significant greater improvements in ADHD core symptoms, ecological executive functions, social functions, or laboratory cognitive functions. Post-hoc exploratory analysis results: (1) In patients who received ATX treatment, TCT + ATX led to greater improvement in ADHD-RS total, inattention, and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms. Similar between-group differences were observed in ecological executive functions, and the improvements were significantly correlated with changes of ADHD core symptoms. (2) In patients who received MPH treatment, no significant differences in the improvement of primary or secondary outcomes were observed between MPH monotherapy and TCT + MPH groups.

conclusionsThese findings demonstrated that, in comparison to medication monotherapy, the TCT + M treatment did not lead to more improvements in the core symptoms of ADHD, nor did it show superiority in other secondary outcomes. Specifically in children treated with atomoxetine, there's a potential promoting effect of targeted cognitive training on medication treatment in terms of the alleviation of ADHD core symptoms.

trial registrationThis study was pre-registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry under the identifier ChiCTR2100043525.

Indexed as

Atomoxetine HydrochlorideAttention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityCentral Nervous System StimulantsCognitive Behavioral TherapyMethylphenidateAdolescentChildCognitive TrainingCombined Modality TherapyFemaleHumansMaleTreatment OutcomeAtomoxetine HydrochlorideCentral Nervous System StimulantsMethylphenidateADHDEcological executive functionsMedication treatmentTargeted cognitive training

Identifiers

PMID40598377
PMCPMC12219606

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.