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TITLE
Intermittent Theta-Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Open-Label Pilot Study
AUTHORS
Abujadi C; Croarkin PE; Bellini BB; Brentani H; Marcolin MA.
SOURCE
Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria. 40(3):309-311, 2018 Jul-Sep.
ABSTRACT
Theta-burst stimulation (TBS) modulates synaptic plasticity more efficiently than standard repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation delivery and may be a promising modality for neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). At present there are few effective interventions for prefrontal cortex dysfunction in ASD. We report on an open-label, pilot study of intermittent TBS (iTBS) to target executive function deficits and restricted, repetitive behaviors in male children and adolescents with ASD.
METHODS
Ten right-handed, male participants, aged 9-17 years with ASD were enrolled in an open-label trial of iTBS treatment. Fifteen sessions of neuronavigated iTBS at 100% motor threshold targeting the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were delivered over 3 weeks.
RESULTS
Parent report scores on the Repetitive Behavior Scale Revised and the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale demonstrated improvements with iTBS treatment. Participants demonstrated improvements in perseverative errors on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test and total time for the Stroop test. The iTBS treatments were well tolerated with no serious adverse effects.
CONCLUSION
These preliminary results suggest that further controlled interventional studies of iTBS for ASD are warranted.
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