Comparing the Effectiveness of the Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (TACS) and Ritalin on Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in 7-14-Year-Old Children

Abstract

Several studies have been conducted on the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation on adult patients. But, in recent years, only a few studies have been carried out in children and teenagers because the aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of TACS and Ritalin in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms. This interventional clinical trial study was performed on 62 children with ADHD who were referred to the private psychiatric clinic of children in Tehran. The children were randomly assigned to two coded groups based on a lottery so that they were enrolled in the TACS or the Ritalin group. A questionnaire child syndrome inventory (parental form) and integrated visual and auditory (IVA) test with a pretest and posttest design was used in this study. TACS therapy protocol was employed (3 days a week for eight weeks using alternating current stimulation at 10 Hz over two points on the prefrontal cortex: the anode centered over F3 [the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex] and the cathode over F4[the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex]). Results showed that the posttest scores of the TACS-treated group were higher than those of the Ritalin-treated group, and there was a significant difference between the areas of visual attention (visual vigilance, visual focus, Sustained attention visual) and response control visual and auditory prudence (P<0.05). Results indicated that TACS was more effective and more durable compared to Ritalin in reducing attention deficit, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.