Read this short article published on the Cercle Psy website.

The publication of new research in the journal Brain Stimulation has caught the attention of the professional community and families of individuals with autism…

A team of Australian researchers has tested the benefits of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on 28 adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger’s syndrome (1). This non-invasive, non-hazardous technique has already proved its worth in the treatment of depressive disorders. The aim is simple but ambitious: to increase the activity of neurons in an area of the prefrontal cortex of these patients (the bilateral dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, for those in the know), in order to improve social interactions and reduce manifestations of anxiety, difficulties specific to the autism spectrum.

To do this, the researchers placed a coil emitting magnetic pulses on the heads of some of the participants, repeated 1,500 times per session, for fifteen minutes a day, for two consecutive weeks. For a second group of participants, the coil delivered no magnetic pulses. One month later, participants in both conditions answered a questionnaire. Results? The researchers noted a reduction in social interaction disorders and anxiety in the « active » condition alone. For the time being, this treatment is not suitable for children, as the coils are not adapted and the simulations are too deep for their brains.

(1) Peter G. Enticott, Bernadette M. Fitzgibbon, Hayley A. Kennedy, Sara L. Arnold, David Elliot, Amy Peachey, Abraham Zangen, Paul B. Fitzgerald, « A Double-blind, Randomized Trial of Deep Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for Autism Spectrum Disorder, » Brain Stimulation, 1-6, 2013.