Anninos P, Chatzimichael A, Adamopoulos A, Kotini A, Tsagas N. A combined study of MEG and pico-Tesla TMS on children with autism disorder.
J Integr Neurosci 2016;
15:497-513. [PMID:
27875942 DOI:
10.1142/s0219635216500278]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recordings from the brain of 10 children with autism (6 boys and 4 girls, with ages range from 5-12 years, mean[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]SD: 8.3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]2.1) were obtained using a whole-head 122-channel MEG system in a magnetically shielded room of low magnetic noise. A double-blind experimental design was used in order to look for possible effect of external pico-Tesla Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (pT-TMS). The pT-TMS was applied on the brain of the autistic children with proper field characteristics (magnetic field amplitude: 1-7.5[Formula: see text]pT, frequency: the alpha - rhythm of the patient 8-13[Formula: see text]Hz). After unblinding it was found a significant effect of an increase of frequencies in the range of 2-7[Formula: see text]Hz across the subjects followed by an improvement and normalization of their MEG recordings. The statistical analysis of our results showed a statistical significance at 6 out of 10 patients (60%). It is also observed an increase of alpha activity in autistic children at the end of one month after pT-TMS treatment at home. In conclusion, the application of pT-TMS has the prospective to be a noninvasive, safe and important modality in the management of autism children.
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