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Assessing and stabilizing atypical plasticity in autism spectrum disorder using rTMS: Results from a proof-of-principle study
- Source :
- Clinical Neurophysiology. 141:109-118
- Publication Year :
- 2022
- Publisher :
- Elsevier BV, 2022.
-
Abstract
- Objectives Emerging evidence implicates atypical plasticity in the neurophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Specifically, autistic people demonstrated hyperplasticity in response to theta-burst stimulation (TBS). We hypothesized that autistic adults would display hyperplasticity to TBS and that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) – which potentiates brain inhibitory mechanisms – would ‘stabilize’ hyperplasticity. Methods Using a randomized, cross-over design, plasticity was assessed using TBS in the left motor cortex (M1) in 31 autistic adults and 30 sex-, intelligence quotient-, and age-matched controls. Autistic adults (n = 29) were further randomized (1:1) to receive a single session of active (n = 14) or sham (n = 15) rTMS (6000 pulses at 20 Hz) over left M1 and plasticity was reassessed on the next day following rTMS. Results Both long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) were significantly increased in the ASD group, indicating hyperplasticity. Active, but not sham rTMS, attenuated LTD in autistic adults. Conclusions We provided further evidence for the presence of brain hyperplasticity in ASD. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show preliminary evidence that an excessive LTD in ASD can be ‘stabilized’ using rTMS. Such ‘stabilizing’ effect of rTMS on LTP was not observed, likely due to small sample size or a more specific ‘attenuating’ effect of rTMS on LTD, compared to LTP. Significance These findings indicate atypical brain inhibitory mechanisms behind hyperplasticity in ASD. Utilizing a larger sample, future replication studies could investigate therapeutic opportunities of ‘mechanism-driven’ rTMS.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Male
Autism Spectrum Disorder
medicine.medical_treatment
Stimulation
Inhibitory postsynaptic potential
behavioral disciplines and activities
050105 experimental psychology
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Physiology (medical)
mental disorders
medicine
Humans
0501 psychology and cognitive sciences
Autistic Disorder
Cross-Over Studies
Neuronal Plasticity
Intelligence quotient
business.industry
musculoskeletal, neural, and ocular physiology
05 social sciences
Motor Cortex
Long-term potentiation
Small sample
medicine.disease
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Sensory Systems
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
nervous system
Neurology
Autism spectrum disorder
Female
Neurology (clinical)
business
Neuroscience
Single session
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 13882457
- Volume :
- 141
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Clinical Neurophysiology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....5939591093af0a3873e4720e130d6862