Role of GABAergic Transmission in Auditory Processing in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Recruiting now · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: Autism Spectrum Disorder

In brief

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental syndrome. Researchers think brain development may be controlled by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). They want to learn how abnormalities in the GABA system may contribute to ASD. Objective: To see if repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) creates short-term changes in how different parts of the brain communicate. Eligibility: Right-handed people ages 11-17 with ASD, and healthy volunteers ages 18-25. Design: Participants will be screened with: Medical history Physical exam Medicine review Neurological exam Psychological tests and rating scales Forms and surveys. Participants will have a hearing test and ear exam. Participants will have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. They will lie on a table that moves in and out of the MRI scanner. They may look at a screen while in the scanner. A coil will be placed over their head. Participants will have magnetic resonance spectroscopy. It takes pictures of chemicals in the brain using the MRI scanner. Participants will have magnetoencephalography. They will sit in a chair. A helmet with magnetic field sensors will be placed on their head. Participants will have TMS. A wire coil will be held on their scalp. A brief electrical current will pass through the coil. Participants will have electromyography. Sticky pad electrodes will be placed on the skin during TMS. The electrical activity of their muscles will be measured. Participants will have rTMS. It uses short bursts of magnetic pulses to affect brain activity. ASD participants may have visits scheduled as often as 1 time a week or as far apart as 2 months based on the participants or study team's availability. Healthy volunteers will have 3 visits over 3-4 weeks....

Key facts

Study ID: NCT04798274
Run by: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
People needed: 106
Starts: 2021-06-15
Expected to finish: 2027-06-30
Last updated by the study team: 2026-04-09

Who can join

Age: 11 and older, up to 25. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

Ability to provide informed consent
Age: 18-25 years
Must meet the definition of "Healthy Control" having completed the screening assessment under protocol 01-M-0254, "The Evaluation of Patients with Mood and Anxiety Disorders and Healthy Volunteers" or under protocol 17-M-0181, "Recruitment and Characterization of Research Volunteers for NIMH Intramural Studies".
Main Study Phase
Inclusion criteria
Ability to provide informed assent and parent consent (Parents of children enrolling on the study do not need to be able to speak English. A consent form is available in English or Spanish for parents of children who enroll.)
Age: 11-17 years
Community Diagnosis of ASD based on DSM-IV or DSM-5 criteria (reviewed by a member of the Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Phenotyping Service)
Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence, Second Edition (WASI-II). WASI-II will be used as a measure of intellectual function. Children will be included when FSIQ > 70.
Right-handed: to reduce heterogeneity.
Hearing: Normal hearing in order to complete the behavioural assessments.

You may not qualify if…

Participants will be screened to exclude individuals with co-occurring neurological or medical conditions that might confound the results, as well as to exclude subjects in whom MRI or rTMS might result in increased risk of side effects or complications. This accounts for the majority of the exclusion criteria listed:
Exclusion criteria
Participants will be screened to exclude individuals with neurological, psychological/behavioral or medical conditions, as well as to exclude subjects in whom MRI or rTMS might result in increased risk of side effects or complications. This accounts for the majority of the exclusion criteria listed:
Pilot Phase
Non-English Speakers
Known Neurological Disorder
Known Psychiatric Disorder
Known genetic disorder (e.g., NF1, tuberous sclerosis), acquired neurologic disease (e.g. stroke, tumour), cerebral palsy, intracranial pathology or significant dysmorphology;
History of fainting spells of unknown or undetermined etiology that might constitute seizures;
History of seizures, diagnosis of epilepsy, or immediate (1st degree relative) family history epilepsy;
Chronic (particularly) uncontrolled medical conditions that may cause a medical emergency in case of a provoked seizure (cardiac malformation, cardiac dysrhythmia, asthma, etc.);
Past or Current History of Tinnitus
Any implant, prosthesis or other permanent alteration of the body that, in the opinion of the investigator, would be unsafe with MRI or TMS or that would produce an artifact that would compromise the integrity of data;
Signs of increased intracranial pressure;
Intracranial lesion (including incidental finding on MRI) that, in the opinion of the investigator, would be unsafe with MRI or TMS or that would produce an artifact that would compromise the integrity of data;
History of any head trauma within 6 months of screening, or beyond 6 months prior to screening, history of head trauma with evidence of traumatic abnormality appearing on a brain scan, or with loss of consciousness >5 minutes, or with other sequelae, excluding headache, lasting > 24 hours.
Pregnancy;
Participants who have received rTMS less than 7 days prior to enrollment;
Individuals currently taking GABAergic medications or any other medication that, in the opinion of the investigator, significantly lowers seizure threshold;
Individuals for whom it is not safe or appropriate to remain on a stable pharmacotherapy (for nonexclusionary medications) for six weeks prior to and over the course of their participation in the study;
A current NIMH employee or staff or their immediate family member.
Main Study Phase
Non-English Speakers
Known genetic disorder that is either associated with the ASD diagnosis or that in the opinion of the investigator may increase the risk to the participant or compromise the integrity of the data;
Acquired neurologic disease (e.g. stroke, tumour), cerebral palsy, intracranial pathology or significant dysmorphology;

Where it is running

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center — Bethesda, Maryland, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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