NCT06247176Terminated
Sensory Habituation in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Neurobiological Mechanisms of Sensory Hyper-sensitivity and Habituation in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 29 May 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is one of the most common developmental disabilities and often people with ASD have sensory processing disorders. These sensory processing disorders are often associated with problem behaviors and, more recently, have been connected to anxiety disorders in people with ASD. While it has been suggested that sensory processing responses in ASD could be malleable, current treatment strategies for sensory processing disorders in ASD have inconsistent results or lack large-sample sized data. This investigation will explore changes in neurophysiological activity in people with ASD and neurotypical peers after they are exposed to an unpleasant visual stimulus through a virtual reality systematic desensitization protocol. 30 people with ASD and 30 neurotypical people between the ages 7 - 35 will be recruited. The study have, 1) a practice magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) visit with questionnaires, 2) a per-exposure MRI with structural and functional MRI collections, 3) a virtual reality systematic desensitization session where we will record the participant's physiological response using an Emotibit device, and 4) a post-exposure MRI session with structural and functional MRI collections. This investigation aims to quantify changes in neurophysiological responses in order to determine the effect of systematic desensitization.
- Status (registry)
- Terminated
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 1 (actual)
- First submitted
- 22 Jan 2024
- Start date
- 8 Jan 2024
- Primary completion date
- 7 Oct 2024
- Lead sponsor
- University of Nebraska
- Diseases
- Autism
- NCT number
- NCT06247176
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Other illness
- 1) if you have any known visual impairment that will make it difficult to watch an object in a VR headset 2) inability to wear a VR headset 3) a history of seizures 4) A subject with orthodontic braces or metallic implants, such as prostheses, shrapnel, or aneurysm clips, or persons with electronic implants, such as cardiac pacemakers. The magnetic field generated by the MRI machine can cause a displacement or malfunctioning of these devices; 5) A subject who is claustrophobic, unable to stay still in the scanner for 40 minutes, or unable to be in the MRI scanner room alone;
Who the study is looking for
- For our patient population
- people with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder
- people who have sensory over-responsivity
- can wear a VR headset for up to 20 minutes
- can understand and follow directions
- For neurotypical participants
- can wear a VR headset for up to 20 minutes
- can understand and follow directions
Age in the registry: 7 years to 18 years · Sex: All · Accepts healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Save your city in your profile to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska Medical Center, Munroe-Meyer Insitute | Omaha | United States | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.