Transcranial Pulsed Current Stimulation and Social Functioning in Children With Autism

作者：Zhenhuan Liu, Sandra Zhong, Roger Ho, Xuguang Qian, Yan Tang, Hui Tian, Chuntao Zhang, Nuo Li, Yong Zhao, Yuqiong Zhang, Huituan Liu, Mei‐Feng Wu, Yingjie Zhan, Min Li, Zhihai Lv, Fengyi Hao, Wilson Tam, Jeremy Lin Bingyuan, Álvaro Pascual‐Leone · 发表于：JAMA Network Open · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.5776 · 被引用次数：9 · 研究领域：Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies、Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects、Laser Applications in Dentistry and Medicine

Importance: Transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS) may improve social functioning and sleep disorders in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Prior trials have been limited by small sample sizes, single-center designs, and often a lack of sham controls. Objective: To examine the safety and efficacy of tPCS in improving social functioning and sleep disorders in children with ASD. Design, Setting, and Participants: This multicenter, double-blind, 2-armed, sham-controlled randomized clinical trial, conducted from May 1, 2022, through November 30, 2023, assessed children aged 3 to 14 years with ASD at 8 medical centers in China. Interventions: Participants underwent daily 20-minute sessions of active tPCS (0.7 mA) or sham tPCS (brief 0.7 mA ramp-up and ramp-down) for 20 sessions over 4 weeks with anode over the right cerebellar hemisphere and cathode over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (12.56-cm2-circular, 4-cm-diameter circular electrodes). Each day after tPCS, all participants received 1 hour of standard therapy. Main Outcomes and Measures: Social functioning was assessed using the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included the Autism Behavior Checklist and the Childhood Sleep Habits Questionnaire. Results: A total of 312 participants (155 in the active group and 157 in the sham group; 248 [79.5%] boys; mean [SD] age, 5.1 [1.6] years; 276 [88.5%] aged 3-6 years and 36 [11.5%] aged 7-14 years) completed the...