A type of transcranial magnetic stimulation could improve social communication in children with autism, according to a clinical trial
Autism spectrum disorders are often accompanied by social communication difficulties, which are treated through behavioral interventions. A type of transcranial magnetic stimulation, accelerated continuous theta-burst stimulation, has demonstrated efficacy and safety in improving this aspect in a clinical trial published in the BMJ. The trial included 200 children from China (167 boys and 33 girls) aged 4 to 10 with autism spectrum disorder, half of whom had intellectual disabilities. One group of participants received 10 daily sessions targeting the motor cortex over five consecutive days, while the other group received sham sessions. The treated group showed greater improvements in both social communication and language skills for one month following treatment.