ERIC Number: EJ1460732
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Mar
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0162-3257
EISSN: EISSN-1573-3432
Available Date: 2024-05-15
Accelerated Theta Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Refractory Depression in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Elizabeth Blank1; Donald L. Gilbert2; Steve W. Wu2; Travis Larsh2; Rana Elmaghraby1; Rui Liu1; Elizabeth Smith4; Grace Westerkamp1; Yanchen Liu1; Paul S. Horn2; Ethan Greenstein1; John A. Sweeney3; Craig A. Erickson1,3; Ernest V. Pedapati1,2,3
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, v55 n3 p940-954 2025
Purpose: Major depressive disorder (MDD) disproportionately affects those living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is associated with significant impairment and treatment recidivism. Methods: We studied the use of accelerated theta burst stimulation (ATBS) for the treatment of refractory MDD in ASD (3 treatments daily x 10 days). This prospective open-label 12-week trial included 10 subjects with a mean age of 21.5 years, randomized to receive unilateral or bilateral stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Result: One participant dropped out of the study due to intolerability. In both treatment arms, depressive symptoms, scored on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores, diminished substantially. At 12 weeks post-treatment, full remission was sustained in 5 subjects and partial remission in 3 subjects. Treatment with ATBS, regardless of the site of stimulation, was associated with a significant, substantial, and sustained improvement in depressive symptomatology via the primary outcome measure, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Additional secondary measures, including self-report depression scales, fluid cognition, and sleep quality, also showed significant improvement. No serious adverse events occurred during the study. Mild transient headaches were infrequently reported, which are expected side effects of ATBS. Conclusion: Overall, ATBS treatment was highly effective and well-tolerated in individuals with ASD and co-occurring MDD. The findings support the need for a larger, sham-controlled randomized controlled trial to further evaluate efficacy of ATBS in this population.
Descriptors: Autism Spectrum Disorders, Depression (Psychology), Multiple Disabilities, Rating Scales, Intervention, Outcomes of Treatment, Symptoms (Individual Disorders), Young Adults, Brain, Stimulation, Biofeedback, Neurological Organization
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Data File: URL: https://github.com/cincibrainlab
Author Affiliations: 1Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Cincinnati, United States; 2Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Division of Neurology, Cincinnati, United States; 3University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Cincinnati, United States; 4Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Division of Behavioral Medicine and Child Psychology, Cincinnati, United States