A randomized controlled trial investigating the effectiveness of a digital cognitive training app called NeuroNation MED showed that the program may improve psychological quality of life in adults with ADHD. Compared to the group receiving standard treatment, app users did not perform better on objective cognitive tests. However, they were more likely to report that they felt their own cognitive functioning had improved. The paper was published in. Psychiatric Research Journal.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition. This means that it has to do with differences in how the brain grows and develops. It is characterized by persistent difficulties with attention, impulse control, and activity regulation. People with ADHD tend to have difficulty staying focused, organizing tasks, and managing their time.
You may also find it difficult to remember your obligations or complete tasks that require sustained mental effort. Some people experience hyperactivity, such as restlessness, excessive talking, or a constant desire to move. Difficulty with impulse control may cause you to interrupt others, make hasty decisions, and act before considering the consequences.
Symptoms usually begin in childhood but may persist into adolescence and adulthood. ADHD can negatively impact your performance in school, work, relationships, finances, and daily life. Most often, it is diagnosed when a child starts school and his or her behavior goes against classroom rules.
Study author Moritz Bergmann and his colleagues evaluated the effects of an adaptive digital training program called NeuroNation MED on ADHD-related cognitive tasks. The app-based program targets executive function, a set of mental skills that help people plan, focus their attention, and juggle multiple tasks. Specifically, training focuses on working memory, processing speed, and the ability to control attention.
The app includes 23 exercises that dynamically adapt to your individual performance. It specifically addresses areas that people with ADHD often struggle with, such as attentional flexibility, which is the ability to shift focus between different tasks, and response inhibition, which is the ability to suppress impulsive behavior. The app also includes game-like elements such as progress indicators, milestones, and rewards to keep users interested.
Researchers recruited 77 adults between the ages of 18 and 60 who had been clinically diagnosed with ADHD. Participants came from the outpatient clinic of the University Hospital Bonn, Germany. Individuals with diagnoses of other specific mental health conditions were excluded. During the study, participants were allowed to continue taking their existing ADHD medication, but were asked to refrain from taking the medication on test days.
At the beginning of the study, participants were randomly divided into two groups. One group completed 12 weeks of cognitive training using the NeuroNation MED app. The other group continued with standard treatment as usual during the same period. After this initial period, the standard treatment group crossed over and received access to the app.
Training began with a 15-minute baseline assessment within the app. The results were used to create a customized training profile that determined starting difficulty and specific mental skills to emphasize. Each subsequent training session consists of a series of several short exercises, with each task lasting several minutes.
The exercises were repeated throughout the session, but in different combinations. A built-in algorithm continuously adjusts the difficulty level based on participant performance. Participants were instructed to complete three training sessions per week for 12 weeks. Each session lasted approximately 30–40 minutes.
Before and after the 12-week period, participants completed a series of psychological tests lasting approximately two hours. The researchers scheduled a third follow-up test 12 weeks after completing the cognitive training. However, the dropout rate in this final evaluation was extremely high. Because of this, the researchers had too little data to analyze the long-term effects of training.
The two-hour assessment included a variety of objective cognitive tests to measure real-world brain performance. Participants also completed questionnaires to assess subjective quality of life, daily functional impairment, and symptoms of depression. Other studies asked participants to rate their own ADHD symptoms and cognitive abilities.
During the study period, 14 participants dropped out after the initial assessment. Three additional patients changed their medication habits during the study and were excluded from the final analysis. This left a final group of 60 participants for initial comparisons.
Scientists found that a cognitive training app resulted in improved psychological quality of life compared to standard treatment. There were no differences between the two groups in performance on objective cognitive tests. Even though there were no visible changes, participants in the training group were more likely to report improved memory, attention, and language skills. They simply felt that their brains were working better.
The authors noted that the program showed promising effects on cognitive cognition and psychological well-being. However, they noted that no improvement in objective cognitive function was observed. They explained that this discrepancy highlights the importance of considering both perceived and measured outcomes in ADHD treatment.
This study investigates the effectiveness of a digital training program to improve ADHD-related cognitive problems. However, the app group began the study with a slightly lower subjective quality of life than the control group. Although this initial difference was not statistically significant, it was moderate in magnitude. This suggests that some of the apparent improvement may reflect a natural return to average levels rather than an effect of training itself.
It is also important to note that the reported improvements in cognitive function were not detected by objective tests. Instead, all gains were seen in self-report measures. This leaves room for reporting bias when participants feel or claim that their condition is better simply because they are receiving a new treatment. Additionally, this research was supported by Synaptikon GmbH, developer of the NeuroNation MED application.
The study, “Effects of a Novel Individualized Digital Cognitive Training on ADHD Traits, Quality of Life, and Cognitive Function in Adults with ADHD: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” was authored by Moritz Bergmann, Julia Schröfel, Laura Zimmermann, Anke Fastenau, Sara Pafel, Peter Sauermann, Jana Fecht, Alexandra Philipsen, and Silke Lux.
