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Brain zaps tested to calm emotional storms in autism

NCT ID NCT06974838

Symptom relief Sponsor: Chang Gung Memorial Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 16, 2026 · Last updated Sep 17, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital are testing whether intermittent theta burst stimulation, a non-invasive form of brain stimulation, can help autistic people with minimal verbal ability or intellectual disability regulate their emotions and behavior. The study enrolls 60 participants who receive stimulation over a brain region called the left DLPFC. Parents report on changes in behavior, emotional dysregulation, and social responsiveness using standard questionnaires. The trial aims to see if this approach reduces irritability and improves emotional control.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
intermittent theta burst stimulation, a form of non-invasive brain stimulation
What this could lead to
If it works, this could offer a non-drug option to help autistic people with limited speech or intellectual disability manage emotional outbursts and behavior.
What could go wrong
This is an early, small study with no control group, so any improvements could come from time, attention, or parent expectations rather than the stimulation. Brain stimulation can cause headaches or scalp discomfort, and results may not apply to other autistic people.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Not a phased trial

Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.

Participants

About 60 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Aug 2025

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

8 to 30 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, confirmed by DSM-5. * Individuals with minimal verbal ability or intellectual disability (FSIQ \< 70). Exclusion Criteria: * Current or past severe neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, or significant visual or hearing impairments. * Current or past severe systemic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or multiple sclerosis. * History of severe brain injury. * Presence of implanted metal devices, such as a pacemaker or medication pump. * Current or past severe psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder. * Pregnancy. * Significant brain abnormalities, such as intracranial space-occupying lesions. * Family history of epilepsy. * History of febrile seizures. * Concurrent use of medications that increase the risk of seizures. * Sleep disorders during rTMS procedures. * Skin lesions or trauma at the stimulation site. * Deemed ineligible by the principal investigator (PI). * Participation in another clinical trial within the past month. * Suicidal ideation or suicide attempts within the past year.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

autism spectrum disorder intellectual disability

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Autism spectrum disorder Intellectual disability Minimally verbal ability

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

    RECRUITING

    Taoyuan, Taiwan

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