Training executive working memory to help ADHD symptoms
Official title: Behavioral and Neural Target Engagement for ADHD Executive Working Memory Training
Funded at Hartford Hospital · NIH-11289331 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers a brain-focused memory training program for people with ADHD to improve attention and self-control.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hartford Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hartford, United States) |
| Project start | January 15, 2021 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $754,934 |
| NIH project number | 5R33MH122444-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11289331 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals diagnosed with ADHD — especially adolescents or adults who struggle to hold and use information in the moment — are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without ADHD, those whose problems are mainly due to other untreated conditions (like sleep disorders or primary mood disorders), or those unable to attend repeated in-person sessions are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
You would take part in an intensive training program that practices the executive parts of working memory — the ability to hold and use information to guide your behavior. The team uses brain imaging (for example, fMRI) to see whether the training engages the specific brain regions thought to support these executive skills. Training is delivered over repeated sessions and combined with behavioral tests to track changes in attention, impulse control, and daily functioning. The researchers plan to refine the training based on which brain targets show the strongest engagement.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could strengthen brain circuits that help you use information in the moment and reduce inattentiveness and impulsivity in daily life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trials that focused on simple working-memory storage produced mixed or negative clinical results, so targeting executive working-memory operations and brain engagement is a newer approach supported mainly by pilot data.
Where this research is happening
-
Hartford Hospital
Hartford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stevens, Michael C — Hartford Hospital
- Study coordinator: Stevens, Michael C
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.