None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are the second leading cause of disability among Australian boys. Despite this, for many years we have lacked an understanding of the brain impairments that underlie autism, and accordingly we have no biomedical treatments that target the core symptoms. A promising new biological explanation that has emerged within the past decade is the “mirror system hypothesis” of autism, which states that brain regions and neurons devoted to understanding other people, which are known as mirror systems, are deficient in ASD. This study will investigate whether mirror system activity in individuals with ASD can be improved using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). tDCS is a safe and non-invasive method of brain stimulation that can be used to modulate brain activity via electrodes that are placed on the scalp. The study will include 20 individuals with an ASD (either high-functioning autism or Asperger’s disorder) and 20 healthy controls. Participants will attend 3 sessions at the Alfred hospital. During each session participants will undergo assessment of mirror system activity using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) after undergoing 20 minutes of tDCS. Each session will involve a different type of tDCS (anodal, cathodal, and sham/placebo). To determine the effect of tDCS, mirror system activity will be compared within ASD and control groups across the 3 sessions. This research is a significant and novel investigation into an economical and well tolerated method for enhancing brain activity. This may provide an exciting avenue for developing treatments for ASD, a significant direction given the current lack of biomedical treatments for this group of debilitating disorders.
Interventions
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). This will be applied to the left inferior frontal cortex or left inferior parietal cortex with a neuroConn GBH/Eldith DC Stimulator. Anodal or cathodal tDCS will be delivered for 20 minutes at an intensity of 2mA. tDCS will be delivered during three one-hour sessions (one anodal, one cathodal, and one sham, described below) that will be one-week apart. The overall duration of involvement in the study is therefore two weeks.
Sponsors
Dr. Peter Enticott
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Crossover
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
There will be two groups: individuals diagnosed with ASD and typically developing individuals (to act as a comparison group). Individuals with ASD: Diagnosis of autism (high-functioning) or Asperger's disorders (ASD group only). Typically developing individuals: No history of psychiatric or neurological illness.
Exclusion criteria
For both groups: History of epilepsy or seizure activity; history of serious head injury; occupation as a professional driver or machine operator; history of stroke; metal in the head; hearing or visual impairment; neurological condition; psychiatric/neurodevelopmental condition (apart from ASD in the ASD group); genetic disorder.
Outcome results
None listed