Immediate and Sustained Effects of Neurofeedback and Working Memory Training on Cognitive Functions in Children and
John Hasslinger1,2, Ulf Jonsson1,2,3, Sven Bölte1,2,4
1Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (KIND), Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden.
Objective:
To evaluate the effects of neurocognitive training methods on targeted cognitive functions in children and adolescent with ADHD.
Method:
A pragmatic four-arm randomized controlled trial compared two types of neurofeedback (Slow Cortical Potential and Live Z-score) and Working-memory training (WMT) with treatment as usual. N = 202 participants with ADHD aged 9 to 17 years were included. A battery of cognitive function tests was completed pretreatment, posttreatment, and after 6-months.
Results:
The effects of WMT on spatial and verbal working-memory were superior to neurofeedback and treatment as usual at posttreatment, but only partially sustained at follow-up. No other consistent effects were observed. We found no clear indications that effects were moderated by ADHD presentation, ongoing medication, age, or sex.
Conclusion:
The sustained effects of neurocognitive training on cognitive functioning in children and adolescents with ADHD may be limited. Future research should focus on more personalized forms of neurocognitive training.
