Background
Cognitive stimulation therapy appears to show promising results in the rehabilitation of impaired cognitive processes in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Objective
Encouraged by this evidence and the ever-increasing use of technology and artificial intelligence for therapeutic purposes, we examined whether cognitive stimulation therapy implemented on a mobile device and controlled by an artificial intelligence engine can be effective in the neurocognitive rehabilitation of these patients.
Methods
In this randomized study, 29 child participants (25 males) underwent training with a smart, digital, cognitive stimulation program (KAD_SCL_01) or with 3 commercial video games for 12 weeks, 3 days a week, 15 minutes a day. Participants completed a neuropsychological assessment and a preintervention and postintervention magnetoencephalography study in a resting state with their eyes closed. In addition, information on clinical symptoms was collected from the child´s legal guardians.
Results
In line with our main hypothesis, we found evidence that smart, digital, cognitive treatment results in improvements in inhibitory control performance. Improvements were also found in visuospatial working memory performance and in the cognitive flexibility, working memory, and behavior and general executive functioning behavioral clinical indexes in this group of participants. Finally, the improvements found in inhibitory control were related to increases in alpha-band power in all participants in the posterior regions, including 2 default mode network regions of the interest: the bilateral precuneus and the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex. However, only the participants who underwent cognitive stimulation intervention (KAD_SCL_01) showed a significant increase in this relationship.
Conclusions
The results seem to indicate that smart, digital treatment can be effective in the inhibitory control and visuospatial working memory rehabilitation in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Furthermore, the relation of the inhibitory control with alpha-band power changes could mean that these changes are a product of plasticity mechanisms or changes in the neuromodulatory dynamics.
Trial Registration
ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN71041318; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN71041318
BACKGROUND
Cognitive stimulation therapy appears to show promising results in the rehabilitation of impaired cognitive processes in ADHD.
OBJECTIVE
Encouraged by this evidence, and the ever-increasing use of technology and artificial intelligence for therapeutic purposes, we have studied whether cognitive stimulation therapy implemented on a mobile device and controlled by an artificial intelligence engine can be effective in the neurocognitive rehabilitation of these patients.
METHODS
In this randomized study, 29 child-adolescent subjects (25 males) underwent training with a smart, digital, cognitive stimulation program (KAD_SCL_01®) or with three commercial video games for 12 weeks, 3 days a week, 15 minutes a day. Participants completed a neuropsychological assessment and a pre-intervention and post-intervention magnetoencephalography study in resting state with their eyes closed. In addition, information on clinical symptoms was collected from the child's legal guardians.
RESULTS
In line with our main hypothesis, we found evidence that smart, digital, cognitive treatment results in improvements in inhibitory control performance. Improvements were also found in visuospatial working memory performance and in the Cognitive flexibility, Working Memory, Behavior and General Executive Functioning behavioural/clinical indexes in this group of subjects. Lastly, the improvements found in inhibitory control were related to increases in alpha-band power in posterior regions and in the default mode network in all subjects. However, only the subjects who underwent cognitive stimulation intervention (KAD_SCL_01®) significantly increased this relationship.
CONCLUSIONS
The results seem to indicate that smart, digital, treatment can be effective in the process of neurocognitive and neurofunctional rehabilitation in patients with ADHD.
CLINICALTRIAL
Trial registration: ISRCTN71041318.
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