Accelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation targeting personalized fronto-parietal control network improves core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial.
Qi Liu, Jiawei Zhang, Xinyu Duan et al.
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In 30 seconds
This double-blind, sham-controlled randomized trial evaluated accelerated intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) targeting each participant’s personalized fronto-parietal network, alongside behavioral training, in people aged 6–30 years with autism spectrum disorder and cognitive or adaptive delays. Of 67 randomized participants, 59 completed the study. At week 12, the response rate—defined as at least a 1-point reduction in ADOS-2 social-affect score—was higher with active stimulation than sham (55% vs. 29%); symptom improvement also favored active treatment (Cohen’s d = -0.53).
Key findings
- At week 12, response rates were 55% with active iTBS and 29% with sham.
- Symptom improvement favored active iTBS over sham (Cohen’s d = -0.53).
- Mild local pain was reported in 5% of the active iTBS group.
- In the profound autism subgroup, the active group showed language improvement alongside improvement in core symptoms.
Why it matters
The trial reports a higher short-term response rate with personalized, network-targeted iTBS than with sham in a population with substantial cognitive or adaptive delays. This provides controlled evidence relevant to a group for whom the abstract notes that pharmacological treatments do not effectively target core symptoms, while the subgroup language finding may warrant further study.
What to keep in mind
The study included 67 randomized participants, with 59 completing it, and assessed outcomes at week 12; longer-term effects are not reported in the abstract.