Repetitive low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation can improve sleep disorders and abnormal behavior among children on the autism spectrum
10.3760/cma.j.issn.0254-1424.2022.01.013
- VernacularTitle:低频重复经颅磁刺激对孤独症谱系障碍儿童睡眠障碍及异常行为的影响
- Author:
Ying CHEN
1
;
Chunyu YAO
;
Juan LI
;
Tianyang YANG
;
Lijie GOU
Author Information
1. 承德医学院附属医院康复医学科，承德 067000
- Keywords:
Transcranial magnetic stimulation;
Autism;
Sleep disorders;
Abnormal behavior;
Children
- From:
Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
2022;44(1):65-68
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective:To observe any effect of repetitive low-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on sleep disorders and abnormal behaviors of children on the autism spectrum.Methods:Forty autistic children were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, each of 20. Both groups were given sleep behavior training and individualized conventional rehabilitation training. Those in the observation group also received 30min of rTMS at 1Hz applied over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortical area once a day, 5 days a week. Before and after 8 weeks of this treatment, both groups were evaluated using the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), the Child Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and the children′s Sleep Habit Questionnaire (CSHQ).Results:The average CARS and CSHQ scores, as well as the total ABC score of both groups increased significantly over the 8 weeks, but the average CARS and CSHQ scores, as well as the total ABC score of the observation group were then significantly better than in the control group. After the treatment, the average ABC scores for sensory ability, communication ability, motor ability, and language ability were significantly lower than before the treatment for both groups, but the observation group′s averages were then significantly better than those of the control group.Conclusions:Supplementing routine intervention with low-frequency rTMS can effectively improve the sleeping and correct the abnormal behavior patterns of autistic children.
