Clinical Trial: The Use of rTMS to Improve Theory of Mind Among Adults With Autism and Asperger's Disorder
Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional
Official Title: The Use of rTMS to Improve Theory of Mind Among Adults With Autism and Asperger's Disorder
Brief Summary:
Theory of mind (ToM) refers to the ability to infer others mental states. It includes a recognition that other individuals experience thoughts, feelings, intentions, and desires that may be different to our own. ToM is often impaired among individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (such as autism and Asperger's disorder), and may underlie aspects of social dysfunction in this population. Indeed, it has been suggested that impaired ToM is the core deficit of autism and Asperger's disorder.
Imaging studies suggest that the bilateral medial prefrontal cortex, the most important brain region in ToM processing, is underactive in autism. The current study examines whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the bilateral medial prefrontal cortex can modulate ToM ability among healthy adults, and improve ToM ability among adults with autism or Asperger's disorder. With the prevalence of autism increasing, there is a clear need to develop appropriate therapeutic interventions to improve social functioning.
This study involves a double-blind study using high-frequency rTMS in an attempt to improve ToM among adults with either autism or Asperger's disorder. Theory of mind will be measured using behavioural tasks that require the participant to infer what someone is thinking or feeling by observing their behaviour. These tasks will administered both before and after rTMS to determine whether any change in theory of mind has occurred.
Thirty adults with either autism (n = 15) or Asperger's disorder (n = 15) will initially undergo functional and structural MRI to determine the site on the scalp that lies over the medial prefrontal cortex (to which rTMS will be administered). They will then attend our lab each consecutive weekday for a two-week period, during which
Detailed Summary:
Autism and Asperger's disorder are life-long neurodevelopmental disorders that involve significant social, communicative, and behavioural abnormalities. Social impairments are arguably the most debilitating aspect of these disorders, and persist into adulthood, creating difficulties in various domains including employment, education, and interpersonal relationships. This impairment is also frequently associated with additional mental health concerns, including depression and anxiety, with the former affecting as many as 40% of individuals with autism (Stewart, Barnard, Pearson, Hasan, & O'Brien, 2006). It has been suggested that the core deficit underlying social dysfunction in autism and Asperger's disorder is impairment in "theory of mind" (ToM) (Baron- Cohen et al., 2005).
An important aspect of social cognition, ToM refers to the ability to use environmental cues to infer others' mental states. It includes the recognition that other individuals experience thoughts, feelings, intentions, and desires that may be different to our own. ToM is crucial to social functioning, allowing us to predict others behaviour and gain an appreciation of their perspective, thereby facilitating effective social interactions.
ToM has been assessed using an array of behavioural tasks. Such tasks typically illustrate a social scenario, and the aim of the task is to identify various aspects of a character's mental state. Increasingly, researchers distinguish between cognitive ToM, which encompasses inferences of another individual's beliefs, knowledge or memory, and affective ToM, which is concerned with predicting others' emotional states (Shamay-Tsoory & Aharon-Peretz, 2007).
Cognitive ToM measures include false-belief tasks, successful completion of which requires an under
Sponsor: Bayside Health
Current Primary Outcome: Theory of Mind Neurobehavioural Battery [ Time Frame: Pre, Post, One-month Post ]
Original Primary Outcome: Same as current
Current Secondary Outcome: Autism Spectrum Quotient [ Time Frame: Pre, Post, One-month Post ]
Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current
Information By: Bayside Health
Dates:
Date Received: December 14, 2008
Date Started: December 2008
Date Completion:
Last Updated: February 6, 2013
Last Verified: February 2013
