1. Alrefaei MM. Effects of executive function intervention based on motor activity on working memory and sustained attention of Saudi children with ADHD. Appl Neuropsychol Child;2026 (Jan 15):1-9.

The present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of executive function intervention based on motor activity on working memory and sustained attention of Saudi school aged- children with ADHD. It was hypothesized that the delivered executive function intervention based on motor activity would have a pre-to-post intervention effect on working memory and sustained attention. The current study employed a randomized controlled design to systematically assess the effects of executive function intervention based on motor activity on working memory and sustained attention of Saudi school aged- children with ADHD. In this study, executive function intervention based on motor activity training was considered as the independent variable and working memory and sustained attention were considered as the dependent variables. A total of 58 participants aged 7-10 years (mean= 9.3 and SD = 1.2) were included in the analyses. Children were from five schools in urban and suburban areas of Mecca. parents of children have junior high school education or above and have normal communication and cognitive abilities. Linear regression models were used to assess within-person differences within conditions for each outcome. Post-test scores were considered as dependent variables explained by condition and pretest scores as the independent variables. The results of the present study indicated significant improvements in working memory and sustained attention in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder following 4 weeks of executive function training.

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2. Boyd C, Wrigley M, Mulligan A, Adamis D, Kirley A, Dudley J, Liddy N, Bramham J. An evaluation of the efficacy and acceptability of the National Clinical Programme for ADHD in adults in Ireland. Ir J Psychol Med;2026 (Jan 16):1-8.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the efficacy and acceptability of Ireland’s National Clinical Programme for ADHD in Adults (NCPAA), providing public assessment and supports for adults with ADHD. METHODS: Overall, 249 adults (51% women, 42% men, 4% non-binary, 1% other gender) were recruited from three NCPAA services using consecutive sampling. Participants completed the Adult Self-Report Scale (ASRS) and the Weiss Functional Impairment Rating Scale (WFIRS-S) at baseline, 6, and 12 months; service satisfaction was measured with the Service Satisfaction Scale (SSS). Reflexive thematic analysis explored responses to two open-ended questions. RESULTS: Service users presented with high baseline symptomatology and life challenges. Significant improvements were observed in ASRS and WFIRS-S (except education) in the first six months. Improvements were retained at 12 months in ASRS and WFIRS-S domains of work, life skills, self-concept and social. but not family, risk or education. Service satisfaction was high, particularly among those diagnosed with ADHD. Thematic analysis identified three positive themes: feeling affirmed, benefits of supports, and person-centred care; and three improvement areas: access barriers, resource gaps, and need for ongoing support. CONCLUSIONS: Engagement with NCPAA services is associated with improvements in ADHD symptoms and life challenges and is acceptable to adults with ADHD in the short term. Service limitations, particularly staffing constraints, warrant attention. Recommendations include strengthening resources, improving communication and appointment systems, and enhancing links to external supports. Given the absence of a control group, findings should be considered preliminary.

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3. Conti AA, Bozhilova N, Eraydin IE, Stringer D, Johansson L, Marhenke R, Bilbow A, El Masri S, Hyde J, Giaroli G, Liang H, Fiori F, Mehta MA, Santosh P, Carter B, Cortese S, Rubia K. External trigeminal nerve stimulation in youth with ADHD: a randomized, sham-controlled, phase 2b trial. Nat Med;2026 (Jan 16)

External trigeminal nerve stimulation (TNS) received US Food and Drug Administration clearance in 2019 as the first device-based, non-pharmacological treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), based on a small pilot sham-controlled randomized controlled trial (RCT) that reported symptom improvement in 62 children with ADHD. Here we conducted a confirmatory multicenter, double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled, parallel-group, phase 2b RCT to investigate short-term and long-term efficacy (6 months) of real versus sham TNS in 150 children and adolescents with ADHD. Participants were randomized to receive real TNS (n = 75, mean age (s.d.) = 12.6 (2.8) years) or sham TNS (n = 75, mean age (s.d.) = 12.6 (2.8) years) nightly for approximately 9 hours for 4 weeks. Bilateral stimulation targeted V1 trigeminal branches using battery-powered electrodes applied to the forehead. Sham TNS delivered 30 seconds of stimulation per hour at lower frequency and pulse width. Intention-to-treat analysis showed no significant differential treatment effects on ADHD symptoms (primary outcome) (estimated adjusted mean difference = 0.83; 95% confidence interval: -2.47 to 4.13; P = 0.622; Cohen’s d = 0.09). No serious adverse events were reported, and side effects did not differ between groups. In conclusion, TNS is a safe intervention but does not demonstrate clinical efficacy for pediatric ADHD. Trial registration: ISRCTN82129325 .

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4. Duany JM, Mouloua M, Hancock PA. The role of ADHD in aggressive driving behavior among young adult drivers: effects of traffic aggressiveness and roadway environments. Accid Anal Prev;2026 (Jan 14);228:108403.

This study examined the effects of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), traffic aggressiveness, and roadway environment on driving behavior. Fifty-seven participants (26 ADHD, 31 non-ADHD; M(age) = 20.75, SD = 5.19; 33 males, 24 females) completed questionnaires related to driving behavior. Participants then completed a series of simulated aggressive and non-aggressive drives in both city and freeway environments. Prior to the experimental drives, all participants completed a baseline control drive. Driving performance metrics (i.e., steering angle, acceleration pressure, brake pressure, and speed) and mental workload were recorded across all simulated drives. It was hypothesized that ADHD diagnosis, traffic aggressiveness, and roadway environment would each affect driving performance. Results showed that drivers with ADHD exhibited higher driving speed, while traffic aggressiveness and roadway environment exerted significant effects on steering angle and braking. Notably, ADHD drivers exhibited lower HRV (RMSSD), and NASA-TLX scores tended to be higher under aggressive city driving. The implications of these results for driver assessment, traffic safety, and public health are discussed.

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5. Mahmoudi M, Moore LA, Lundquist J, Stier A, Anderson M, Fayzullobekova B, Hermosillo R, Houghton A, Madison TJ, McCollum R, Weldon KB, Nelson S, Esler A, Miranda-Dominguez O, Fair DA, Tervo-Clemmens B, Feczko E. Cortical Thickness and Curvature in Autism and ADHD: A Mega-Analysis. bioRxiv;2026 (Jan 6)

BACKGROUND: Existing evidence suggests cortical morphometric alterations occur in people with autism and ADHD. However, these findings remain tentative due to small sample sizes, heterogeneous imaging pipelines, varied statistical approaches, and limited harmonization across acquisition sites. Few studies have applied standardized processing to large, clinically enriched datasets or addressed site-related batch effects. METHODS: We leveraged six large-scale brain imaging datasets (n = 9,647; male=5,835; female=3,812; ages 5-64 years), including 1,533 individuals with ADHD, 1,080 with autism spectrum disorder, and 7,034 matched controls. All imaging data were processed using the validated ABCD-HCP pipeline, with cortical parcellation into 360 regions based on the Human Connectome Project (HCP) atlas, and ComBat harmonization was applied to account for variability across 67 acquisition sites. Group-level differences in cortical thickness and sulcal curvature were examined with ANCOVAs, controlling for covariates and using Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. RESULTS: Our analyses revealed distinct neuroanatomical signatures for both autism and ADHD. Individuals with autism exhibited regionally thinner cortex and curvature alterations particularly in the Cingulo-Opercular network. In contrast, individuals with ADHD displayed regionally thicker cortex, particularly in the default mode and somatomotor networks, alongside curvature differences. Control participants showed intermediate patterns, suggesting that autism and ADHD may represent diverging extremes of cortical maturation. CONCLUSIONS: Cortical thickness and curvature emerge as potential biomarkers that can advance understanding of neurodevelopmental conditions and disentangle heterogeneity across diagnostic groups. These findings highlight the value of harmonized, large-scale, standardized analyses for resolving inconsistencies in the literature.

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6. Seward M, Milligan K, Sibalis A, Wenban H, van Noordt S. Mindfulness Training in Youth With ADHD + Comorbid Learning Disability Maintains Medial Frontal Cortex Function During Response Inhibition. Clin EEG Neurosci;2026 (Jan 16):15500594251399706.

ObjectiveThe present study investigated the neural correlates of cognitive control in youth with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and comorbid learning disability (N = 75, ages 11-17 years) who participated in a 20-week mindfulness martial arts intervention compared to a waitlist control.MethodEEG was recorded pre and post intervention during a blocked Go/NoGo task. Peak amplitude was measured for the inhibitory NoGo N2 and P3 ERP components.ResultsA significant group by time interaction was found for NoGo N2 amplitudes, indicating that waitlist control participants had significantly attenuated N2 amplitudes over time whereas the intervention group maintained similar levels of medial frontal activity during response inhibition. The maintenance of the individual differences in N2 amplitudes were robust in the intervention group.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that participation in mindfulness martial arts may buffer against reductions in N2 activity during adolescence for youth with ADHD.

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7. Shchetinina A, Liu X, Slopen N, Chambers C, Wolvius E, Kayser M, Roshchupkin G, Tiemeier H. Using facial morphology traits related to attention problems in children to identify prenatal exposure history. J Dev Orig Health Dis;2026 (Jan 16);17:e6.

Brain development and face morphology are related through underlying biological mechanisms, namely embryonic neuroectodermal processes. This study examined whether the facial parameters identified in children can help understand the neurodevelopmental impact of prenatal exposures on child behavior. We studied 9- to 10-year-old children of European descent from Generation R Study (N = 2,779) with three-dimensional face photographs. With an AI model of a 3D graph autoencoder, each facial shape was compressed into 200 traits representing facial morphology. We examined associations of traits with internalizing and externalizing behaviors and attention problems. Next, select prenatal substance and micronutrient exposures were related to facial traits using adjusted linear regression analyses. We identified a robust association between one specific facial trait and attention problem scores (β = -1.47, p = 0.038). This trait features chin retrusion, mild nasal contour variation, nose tip protrusion, and overall facial asymmetry. Higher prenatal vitamin D and folic acid concentrations were associated with more facial curvature (β = 0.0001, 95%CI: 0.00001 to 0.0002, p = 0.002; and β = 0.0003, 95%CI: 0.00002 to 0.0005, p = 0.03 accordingly), while prenatal tobacco smoking showed a negative association both until the mother became aware of pregnancy (β = -0.008, 95%CI: -0.0135 to -0.0014, p = 0.02) and throughout pregnancy (β = -0.006, 95%CI: -0.0113 to -0.0005, p = 0.03). Findings suggest that facial morphology may serve as a marker of impaired neuroectodermal development. Leveraging its association with attention problems enabled a robust examination of prenatal exposures’ impact. The associations of maternal smoking, vitamin D, and folic acid concentrations with facial morphology provide insights into the origins of neurodevelopment.

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8. Shimizu M, Takagi S, Aoki R, Itahashi T, Shikauchi Y, Nakamura H, Sugihara G, Takahashi H, Nakamura M. Differential working memory changes following methylphenidate in medication-naive and medication-experienced adults with ADHD. PCN Rep;2026 (Mar);5(1):e70286.

AIM: The long-term impact of pharmacological treatment on cognitive function in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), particularly whether benefits persist after treatment discontinuation, is not well understood. This study aimed to investigate whether prior medication history is associated with different patterns of cognitive change following methylphenidate (MPH) administration. METHODS: Thirty-six adults with ADHD (17 medication-naive, 19 medication-experienced) were assessed on five cognitive tasks, the multitasking test (MTT), reaction time (RTI), rapid visual processing (RVP), stop signal task (SST), and spatial working memory (SWM), from the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery baseline and following a period of clinically stable MPH treatment (Post). We used mixed-design ancovas to test for Time × Medication history interactions. RESULTS: We found a significant interaction in the SWM task (6-box condition; q = 0.044). A sensitivity analysis excluding atomoxetine-experienced participants showed a preserved effect size but trend-level significance (q = 0.061). Post hoc analyses revealed that the medication-naive group’s SWM performance significantly improved from baseline to Post, whereas the medication-experienced group, who exhibited a significantly better baseline performance, showed no change. Exploratory analyses suggested similar trends across the other SWM difficulty levels. No significant interactions were found for other tasks. CONCLUSION: Two groups showed differential trajectories of change in the SWM task. Rather than reflecting a purely pharmacological effect, these patterns may involve a combination of baseline cognitive differences, learned cognitive strategies, and pre-existing individual characteristics. These preliminary findings highlight the importance of considering treatment history in clinical practice and research.

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