Brain zaps tested to calm emotional storms in autism
NCT ID NCT06974838
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.
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Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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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
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About 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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8 to 30 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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 Hide 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.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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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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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
RECRUITINGTaoyuan, Taiwan
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