Transcranial pulsed current stimulation may improve social functioning in children with ASD

A report from a multinational group of researchers indicates that transcranial pulsed current stimulation (tPCS) may help to improve the social skills of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

tPCS is a method of noninvasive brain stimulation that modulates cortical activity by using electrodes on the surface of the scalp to deliver low-intensity pulsed currents to the cortex. Zhenhuan Liu and colleagues, who conducted the study, say research indicates that tPCS “modulates functional connectivity, facilitates interhemispheric coherence, and enhances cortical plasticity.”

In the multicenter, double-blind, randomized clinical trial, 312 children with ASD, between three and 14 years of age, underwent 20 sessions of prefrontal-cerebellar tPCS or a “sham” treatment over a four week period. The researchers assessed the children’s social skills before and after the intervention, using the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) as a primary outcome measure and the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and Childhood Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) as secondary measures.

They report, “Results demonstrated that tPCS significantly enhanced social functioning in children with ASD, evidenced by a significant posttreatment difference in baseline-adjusted ATEC total mean scores, which was driven by greater sociability improvements in the active tPCS group.” Improvements were also seen in the ABC, with post-treatment total mean scores showing significant differences between the two groups. In addition, children in the treatment group had lower daytime sleepiness scores on the CSHQ.

Overall, the researchers say, “More than twice as many participants in the active tPCS group than in the sham group achieved meaningful clinical effects.” They conclude, “These findings suggest that tPCS may serve as a viable nonpharmacologic alternative for ASD.”

Citations

“Transcranial pulsed current stimulation and social functioning in children with autism: a randomized clinical trial,” Zhenhuan Liu, Sandra Zhong, Roger C. M. Ho, Xuguang Qian, Yan Tang, Hui Tian, Chuntao Zhang, Nuo Li , Yong Zhao, Yuqiong Zhang, Huituan Liu, Meifeng Wu, Yingjie Zhan, Min Li, Zhihai Lv, Fengyi Hao, Wilson Tam, Jeremy Lin Bingyuan, and Alvaro Pascual-Leone, JAMA Network Open, April 1, 2025. Address: Zhenhuan Liu, Department of Paediatrics, Nanhai Maternity and Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guiping Road West, Guicheng, Nanhai District, Foshan, Guangdong Province, 528200, China, [email protected].