Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Autistic Spectrum Disorder

Autistic Disorders Spectrum Clinical Trial

— TDCSinASD  

Official title:

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Modulates Spectral Power and Coherence in Autism Spectrum Disorder: a Triple-blind, Placebo-controlled Study

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05311982
• Other study ID #: Tdcs Autism ufpb
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: March 1, 2021
• Est. completion date: September 30, 2021

Study information

• Verified date: March 2022
• Source: Federal University of Paraíba
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

To understand the changes in the resting electroencephalogram (EEG) brain networks of children and adolescents with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) induced by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), we asked two questions. First: how can tDCS modulate the expression of neural network dynamics? Second: how can tDCS modulate functional connections at specific frequencies? We hypothesized that the tDCS mechanism results in increased cortical frequencies in the areas under the anode, which may reflect an increase in synaptic connectivity, and that this tDCS-related increase changes connection profiles at specific frequencies important for ASD, indicating improvement in symptoms. To verify this improvement, the researchers used the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) after an intervention, comparing baseline scores with post-treatment scores.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 12
• Est. completion date: September 30, 2021
• Est. primary completion date: July 30, 2021
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 5 Years to 18 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients with ASD reported by a Neuropediatrician; Age group between 5 and 18 years; Mild and moderate clinical symptoms

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients with severe mental illness; Use of a pacemaker or other metal device on the body; Brain tumor or intracranial infection; Uncooperative parents or caregivers; Epilepsy; structural change in the skull

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Autistic Disorder
• Autistic Disorders Spectrum

Intervention

Device:
• DLPFC-R (F4) TDCS
direct current brain stimulation- The study was developed through a triple-blind, crossover, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial (dummy tDCS). Participants were randomized into three groups receiving unilateral tDCS in DLPFC-L F3 (Block A), combined tDCS in DLPFC-L (F3) and DLPFC-R (F4) simultaneously (Block B) or sham-tDCS (Block C) with equal electrode configuration guaranteed blindness. After the procedures, each participant received the following intervention in the order ABC, BCA or CAB with a period of 1 week between each one. Each block took 3 weeks, organized into: 1) Assessment; 2) Application of stimulation; 3) Reassessment and washout week. Adding 1 more week of final evaluation, the study totaled the period of 10 weeks. During this period, patients were instructed to continue their behavioral/educational treatment and medication routines.
• DLPFC-L (F3) and DLPFC-R (F4) TDCS
DLPFC-L (F3) and DLPFC-R (F4) (Bock B)
• sham-tDCS
sham-tDCS (Block C) with equal electrode configuration guaranteed blindness

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Brazil	Suellen Marinho Andrade	João Pessoa	Paraíba
Brazil	Federal University of Paraíba,Department of Psychology	João Pessoa,	Paraiba

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Federal University of Paraíba

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Brazil, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	to compare the effectiveness of Neuromodulation techniques - transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) - in the treatment of people with Autism Spectrum Disorder	EEG and TDCS	7 weeks
Secondary	Check the effects of tDCS modulations on cognitive responses through Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist	ATEC and EEG	7 weeks