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The Effects of Lemon Essential Oil Inhalation on Attention in Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

NCT07586761 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 52

Last updated 2026-05-14

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

This randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the acute effects of lemon essential oil inhalation on sustained attention and visual memory in children diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Fifty-two medication-naive children aged 9-16 were randomized to receive either lemon oil or placebo inhalation before cognitive assessments. Primary outcome was sustained attention performance. The study found significant improvements in attention scores in the lemon oil group.

Conditions

  • Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity (ADHD)
  • Sustained Attention
  • Aromatherapy
  • Essential Oil
  • Non-Pharmacological Interventions

Interventions

OTHER

Lemon Essential Oil Inhalation

This intervention consists of a single-session, short-term olfactory exposure to 100% pure lemon essential oil (Citrus limon, ISO 9235 compliant, GC-MS confirmed composition: limonene 67.2%, β-pinene 12.3%, γ-terpinene 9.8%). Five drops were applied to a sterile cotton pad and held approximately 5 cm from the participant's nose. Participants inhaled the aroma for 5 minutes under direct supervision in a quiet, odor-free clinical setting. This intervention was administered immediately prior to standardized neuropsychological assessments measuring attention and visual memory. No ingestion or topical application occurred.

OTHER

placebo inhalation

The placebo condition involved the same protocol as the intervention group, using five drops of distilled water applied to a sterile cotton pad. The pad was held approximately 5 cm from the participant's nose, and inhalation lasted for 5 minutes. The procedure was designed to mimic the intervention without olfactory stimulation, ensuring consistency in timing, setting, and administration method.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Başakşehir Çam & Sakura City Hospital

    lead OTHER_GOV

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
9 Years
Max Age
16 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2022-02-15
Primary Completion
2023-09-30
Completion
2023-09-30

Countries

  • Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT07586761 on ClinicalTrials.gov