Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40780869›Full record

SynthesisJournal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN

Efficacy and safety of transcranial direct current stimulation for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Mengmeng Zhang, Chi Ma, Yuxin Liu, Xinyi Ma, Tingxuan Liu, Feiyong Jia, Lin Du

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of psychiatry & neuroscience : JPN. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed, 1 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

5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. 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

7 authors.

Mengmeng ZhangFrom the Department of Rehabilitation, School of Nursing, Jilin University (Zhang, C. Ma, Y. Liu, X. Ma); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University (Zhang); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Centre, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China (T. Liu, Jia, Du).
Chi MaFrom the Department of Rehabilitation, School of Nursing, Jilin University (Zhang, C. Ma, Y. Liu, X. Ma); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University (Zhang); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Centre, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China (T. Liu, Jia, Du).
Yuxin LiuFrom the Department of Rehabilitation, School of Nursing, Jilin University (Zhang, C. Ma, Y. Liu, X. Ma); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University (Zhang); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Centre, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China (T. Liu, Jia, Du).
Xinyi MaFrom the Department of Rehabilitation, School of Nursing, Jilin University (Zhang, C. Ma, Y. Liu, X. Ma); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University (Zhang); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Centre, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China (T. Liu, Jia, Du).
Tingxuan LiuFrom the Department of Rehabilitation, School of Nursing, Jilin University (Zhang, C. Ma, Y. Liu, X. Ma); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University (Zhang); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Centre, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China (T. Liu, Jia, Du).
Feiyong JiaFrom the Department of Rehabilitation, School of Nursing, Jilin University (Zhang, C. Ma, Y. Liu, X. Ma); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University (Zhang); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Centre, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China (T. Liu, Jia, Du).
Lin DuFrom the Department of Rehabilitation, School of Nursing, Jilin University (Zhang, C. Ma, Y. Liu, X. Ma); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin University (Zhang); Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Children's Medical Centre, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China (T. Liu, Jia, Du) du_lin@jlu.edu.cn.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundChildren and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often show cognitive deficits. Given that some evidence has suggested transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a potential alternative or adjunct to psychostimulants, we sought to perform a meta-analysis and systematic review to evaluate the effects of tDCS on clinical symptoms and cognitive function among children and adolescents with ADHD, as well as to summarize associated adverse effects.

methodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library up to May 7, 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving children and adolescents with ADHD who underwent tDCs therapy. The outcome included specific cognitive function assessments and clinical symptoms.

resultsWe included 18 RCTs that involved 496 children and adolescents with ADHD, of which 14 trials ( LIMITATIONS: Some subgroup analyses included few studies, lacked ADHD subtype delineation, and involved only single-dimensional analysis, which limited comprehensive conclusions.

conclusionOverall, tDCS may improve the attention and inhibitory abilities of children and adolescents with ADHD, particularly with optimal stimulation parameters (F3 site, a current intensity of 1 mA, cathodal stimulation, and single-session stimulation). These findings suggest therapeutic potential but require larger clinical validation.

Indexed as

Attention Deficit Disorder with HyperactivityTranscranial Direct Current StimulationAdolescentChildHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID40780869
PMCPMC12342835

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.