Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40230821›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychiatry2025

Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of high-dose intermittent theta burst stimulation in children with autism spectrum disorder: study protocol for a pilot randomized sham-controlled trial.

Junzi Long, Maoyuan Niu, Xingxing Liao, Kaiyue Han, Jiarou Chen, Wenlong Su, Xianna Wang, Jianjun Liu, Yan Zhang, Hao Zhang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Junzi LongSchool of Rehabilitation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Maoyuan NiuSchool of Rehabilitation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Xingxing LiaoSchool of Rehabilitation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Kaiyue HanSchool of Rehabilitation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Jiarou ChenDepartment of Neurorehabilitation, Beijing Boai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China.
Wenlong SuSanBo Brain Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Xianna WangChina Autism Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing Boai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China.
Jianjun LiuChina Autism Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing Boai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China.
Yan ZhangChina Autism Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing Boai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China.
Hao ZhangSchool of Rehabilitation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are common neurodevelopmental disorders, mainly caused by disrupted excitation/inhibition balance and synaptic plasticity. Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a variant of excitatory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, inducing long-term potentiation-like plasticity. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in high-dose iTBS as a therapeutic tool for psychiatric disorders. We aim to preliminarily investigate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of high-dose iTBS in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: A randomized controlled pilot trial with a 4-week intervention will be conducted. Forty children with ASD will be randomized into either the intervention or control group. The intervention group will receive 5400-pulse iTBS per day, while the control group will receive sham iTBS. Feasibility will be evaluated through recruitment, intervention adherence, and assessment completion. Safety will be assessed by comparing the rates of drop-outs attributed to adverse events and the rates of serious adverse events The efficacy outcomes include the Autism Behavior Checklist, Social Responsiveness Scale, 2nd Edition, Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist and Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised. Resting-state electroencephalogram and functional near-infrared spectroscopy will be employed to quantify alterations in functional brain connectivity and cerebral haemodynamics. Salivary levels of oxytocin, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1, and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 are measured to reflect the biochemical response to iTBS. These indicators will be assessed at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Discussion: This trial will evaluate the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of high-dose iTBS treatment in children with ASD. The proposed study will provide pilot data to inform the feasibility and design of larger sample-size trials. Clinical trial registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2400089757.

Indexed as

autism spectrum disorderefficacyfeasibilityrepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulationsafetystudy protocoltheta burst stimulation

Identifiers

PMID40230821
PMCPMC11995711

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.