NCT07770451Not yet recruiting
Medial Prefrontal Cortex Brain Magnetic Stimulation in Autism
The Efficacy and Brain Mechanism of Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Autism: A Pilot Study Targeting Medial Prefrontal Cortex
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 18 Aug 2026
Brief summary (registry, in English)
Despite decades of research, no definitive, effective biological treatments exist for core symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Emerging evidence suggests that conventional Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or posterior superior temporal sulcus may reduce repetitive behaviors, but its efficacy on social communication remains inconsistent. Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (dTMS) allows for the stimulation of deeper brain structures. Deep social brain networks, such as the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), play a critical role in social cognition and mentalizing processes. Targeting the mPFC with dTMS holds potential for improving core impairments in social cognition among individuals with ASD. This pilot study aims to evaluate the efficacy of dTMS on social cognition, mPFC-related functional connectivity, and clinical symptoms (autism severity, stereotyped behaviors, sensory symptoms, and emotion regulation).
- Status (registry)
- Not yet recruiting
- Study type
- Interventional
- Enrollment
- 20 (estimated)
- First submitted
- 3 Aug 2026
- Start date
- 1 Dec 2026
- Primary completion date
- 31 Dec 2028
- Lead sponsor
- National Taiwan University Hospital
- Diseases
- Autism
- NCT number
- NCT07770451
What you commit to
- Study type: Interventional
- Planned participants: 20
- From 1 Dec 2026 to the primary completion date, 31 Dec 2028
- 1 site in 1 country
- Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them
Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.
Who cannot take part
Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.
Prior treatment
- Contraindications of MRI or TMS procedure: Ferromagnetic material in the skull, head, and neck; claustrophobia; had received neurosurgery, etc.
- Receiving electroconvulsive therapy or TMS in the past three months
Other illness
- Comorbidity of schizophrenia, substance use disorder,
- Had major medical diseases (e.g., malignancy, severe cardiac, hepatic, renal diseases, or active CNS or systemic infection) or major neurological disease (e.g., uncontrolled epilepsy, brain tumors or hemangioma, severe head trauma)
Who the study is looking for
- Having a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder based on DSM-5-TR diagnosis criteria
- Aged 18-45 years old
- No change of medications in the past three months
Age in the registry: 18 years to 45 years · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers
Sites (1)
Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.
| Site | City | Country | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status | Taipei | Taiwan | Unknown status |
This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.