Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) on Cognitive Functions and Behavior in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder ( ASD)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with core symptoms that include impairments in social communication and restricted and repetitive behaviors, interests, and activities. Social cognition is a broad term used to understand, perceive, and interpret information about others and ourselves in a social context. Impairments in social cognition are often highlighted as a potential mechanism underlying social disability in autism spectrum disorder. High-order cognitive functions, such as Executive function (EF) and social cognition, rely on neural network oscillations in the gamma frequency (30-80 Hz) band. It has been proposed that GABA-inhibitory interneurons in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) contribute to the synchronization of pyramidal neurons, which is necessary for EF performance. Impaired GABAergic neurotransmission within the DLPFC has been linked with altered gamma oscillatory activity and working memory deficits. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is one method used to deliver electrical stimuli through the scalp in conscious humans. Recently, rTMS is not only for the treatment of major depressive disorders, but it has also been advanced as a potential therapeutic technique to treat neurologic disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis, and many other neuropsychiatric disorders. It is still undetermined whether it is possible to improve the symptoms of ASD individuals through noninvasive neural modulation. Previous studies in ASD indicate that rTMS applied to DLPFC can modulate gamma oscillatory activity. In this study, the investigators aim to examine the effectiveness of low-frequency rTMS in improving social cognitive function and emotion recognition in ASD individuals. Further understanding of the effect of low-frequency rTMS in altering the cognitive function in ASD individuals may help to achieve some answers related to the mechanism behind ASD. This stimulation protocol could be a vital therapeutic strategy for the treatment of ASD in future clinical practice.
• Male and female ASD individuals
• age between 5 and 11 years old
• diagnosed with ASD on prior clinical assessment using the American Psychiatric Association's DSM-V criteria and corroborated by assessment using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).
• Normal hearing ability based on past hearing screens.
• Participation will be limited to higher functioning (intelligence quotient \[IQ\] \>70) to maximize successful completion of tested paradigms, maintain alertness/attention, furthermore, the ability to follow instructions.