Cumulative and Booster Effects of Multisession Prefrontal tDCS in ASD Adolescents
Recruiting now · Not applicable · Has a placebo group
Conditions studied: Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Electroencephalography
In brief
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by disturbances in communication, poor social skills, and aberrant behavior. To date, ASD has no known cure, and the disorder remains a highly disabling condition. Recently, transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, has shown great promise as a potentially effective and cost-effective tool for reducing the core symptoms in patients with autism, such as anxiety, aggression, impulsivity, and inattention. Although the preliminary findings in patients with ASD are encouraging, it remains to be determined whether this experimental data can translate into benefits in real life. Further studies are needed to determine the factors that can lengthen the therapeutic effects or cognitive benefits of tDCS, and to determine possible risk factors associated with relapse in patients with ASD. Booster sessions of tDCS is an important component of treatment planning and prognosis and may promote better outcomes to control for resurgence of symptoms. This study has three aims. First, the investigators aim to evaluate the therapeutic effects of tDCS on improving cognitive function in patients with ASD. Second, the investigators aim to better understand the neural mechanisms underlying the neuro-enhancing effects of tDCS in patients with ASD. Third, the investigators aim to assess the effectiveness of booster treatment cycles of tDCS for enhancing cognitive and social functions in individuals with ASD.
Key facts
- Study ID
- NCT06272669
- Run by
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- People needed
- 90
- Starts
- 2022-06-02
- Expected to finish
- 2026-12-01
- Last updated by the study team
- 2025-11-21
Who can join
Age: 12 and older, up to 21. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.
You may qualify if…
- Individuals who are confirmed by a clinical psychologist based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5th Ed (DSM-V) criteria of Autism spectrum disorder and structured interview with their parents or primary caregivers on their developmental history using the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R).
You may not qualify if…
- Individuals without a confirmed diagnosis from the clinical psychologist, with a history of other neurological and psychiatric disorders and head trauma, or on psychiatric medication will be excluded from the study.
Where it is running
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University — Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong (enrolling)
Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov
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