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Targeting Repetitive Behaviors in Autism Spectrum Disorder Via Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Sponsor: Bambino Gesù Hospital and Research Institute
Summary
Repetitive behaviors (RBs) are a prevalent feature of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). There are two groups of RBs: lower-order (e.g. motor stereotypies) and higher-order RBs (e.g. restricted interests), linked to sensory-motor and the associative loops, respectively. To date, treatment options for RBs are very limited. High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) may be effective in reducing the impact of RBs in children with ASD by targeting the associated brain alterations. Moreover, the high focality of HD-tDCS will help the investigators to disentangle the relative contribution of different brain loops (namely, sensory-motor and the associative loops) into RBs subtypes. The investigators will also study the electrophysiological patterns associated to behavioral changes after the application of HD-tDCS.
Official title: Understanding and Targeting Repetitive Behaviors and Restricted Interests in Autism Spectrum Disorder Via High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
8 Years - 13 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
78
Start Date
2024-10-03
Completion Date
2026-04
Last Updated
2024-10-17
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
Active HD-tDCS over pre-SMA
Active cathodal HD-tDCS over pre-SMA cortex will be delivered for 10 days (3 sessions per week). The 4 × 1 montage using small circular electrodes (diameter 1 cm) will be applied with the cathode placed centrally over Fz. The current intensity will be set at 0.5 mA for a total of 20 minutes (30 s ramp up/down).
Active HD-tDCS over left DLPFC
Active cathodal HD-tDCS over left DLPFC cortex will be delivered for 10 days (3 sessions per week). The 4 × 1 montage using small circular electrodes (diameter 1 cm) will be applied with the cathode placed centrally over F3. The current intensity will be set at 0.5 mA for a total of 20 minutes (30 s ramp up/down).
Sham HD-tDCS
Sham HD-tDCS will be delivered over pre-SMA or left-dlPFC cortex for 10 days (3 sessions per week). The same electrodes placement as well as the stimulation set-up will be used as in the active stimulation conditions, but the current will be applied for 30 s and will be ramped down (0 mA) during the rest of the session without the participants awareness. Each Sham session will last 20 minutes.
Locations (1)
Bambino Gesù Children Hospital
Rome, Italy, Italy