Transcranial direct current stimulation to facilitate neurofunctional rehabilitation in children with autism spectrum disorder: a protocol for a randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind clinical trial.
Watch for results: ten tDCS visits plus gait training may soon give ASD kids a balance boost.
01Research in Context
What this study did
MKalberg et al. (2023) wrote a plan for a new RCT. They will give kids with autism ten visits of brain zaps while they practice walking and balance.
Half the kids will get real tDCS over the motor area or cerebellum. The other half will get fake zaps. No one will know who got what.
What they found
Nothing yet. This paper only tells us the recipe. We have to wait for the real scores on gait, balance, and behavior.
How this fits with other research
Feyzi Dehkharghani et al. (2024) already showed ten tDCS visits can help kids with ID think faster. MO uses the same dose, but aims at motor skills in ASD instead of thinking speed in ID.
Tsai (2009) and Giagazoglou et al. (2013) got better balance with plain exercise—table-tennis or trampoline—in kids with DCD or ID. MO wants to see if adding brain zaps beats exercise alone.
Elliott et al. (2026) meta-analysis says matched sensory toys cut self-hitting and body-rocking. If MO’s gait training also lowers such behavior, the meta set-up could swallow these new data once they land.
Why it matters
If the full trial pans out, you could add a 20-minute tDCS cap to your normal gait drills and maybe shave weeks off motor goals. Until then, keep watching—no need to buy gear yet.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
<h4>Background</h4>Anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the primary motor cortex and cerebellum is gaining prominence in the literature due to its potential to favor learning and motor performance. If administered during motor training, tDCS is capable of increasing the effect of training. Considering the motor impairment presented by children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), atDCS applied during motor training may contribute to the rehabilitation of these children. However, it is necessary to examine and compare the effects of atDCS over the motor cortex and the cerebellum on the motor skills of children with ASD. This information may benefit future clinical indications of tDCS for rehabilitation of children with ASD. The aim of the proposed study is to determine whether anodal tDCS over the primary motor cortex and cerebellum can enhance the effects of gait training and postural control on motor skills, mobility, functional balance, cortical excitability, cognitive aspects and behavioral aspects in children with ASD. Our hypothesis is the active tDCS combined with motor training will enhance the performance of the participants in comparison to sham tDCS.<h4>Methods and design</h4>A randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind clinical trial will be conducted involving 30 children with ASD that will be recruited to receive ten sessions of sham or ten sessions of active anodal tDCS (1 mA, 20 min) over the primary motor cortex or cerebellun combined with motor training. The participants will be assessed before as well as one, four and eight weeks after the interventions. The primary outcome will be gross and fine motor skills. The secondary outcomes will be mobility, functional balance, motor cortical excitability, cognitive aspects and behavioral aspects.<h4>Discussion</h4>Although abnormalities in gait and balance are not primary characteristics of ASD, such abnormalities compromise independence and global functioning during the execution of routine activities of childhood. If demonstrated that anodal tDCS administered over areas of the brain involved in motor control, such as the primary motor cortex and cerebellum, can enhance the effects of gait and balance training in only ten sessions in two consecutive weeks, the clinical applicability of this stimulation modality will be expanded as well as more scientifically founded.<b>Clinical trial registration</b> February 16, 2023 (https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-3bskhwf).
, 2023 · doi:10.3389/fneur.2023.1196585