title: Assessing and Stabilizing Aberrant Neuroplasticity in Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Potential Role of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.
abstract: Exciting developments have taken place in the neuroscience research in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and results from these studies indicate that brain in ASD is associated with aberrant neuroplasticity. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) has rapidly evolved to become a widely used, safe, and non-invasive neuroscientific tool to investigate a variety of neurophysiological processes, including neuroplasticity. The diagnostic and therapeutic potential of TMS in ASD is beginning to be realized. In this article, we briefly reviewed evidence of aberrant neuroplasticity in ASD, suggested future directions in assessing neuroplasticity using repetitive TMS (rTMS), and discussed the potential of rTMS in rectifying aberrant neuroplasticity in ASD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto , Toronto, ON , Canada ; Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health , Toronto, ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Pushpal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Desarkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto , Toronto, ON , Canada ; Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health , Toronto, ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Tarek K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Rajji
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto , Toronto, ON , Canada ; Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health , Toronto, ON , Canada ; Department of Psychiatry, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto , Toronto, ON , Canada ; Research Imaging Centre, Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) , Toronto, ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Stephanie H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ameis
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto , Toronto, ON , Canada ; Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health , Toronto, ON , Canada.
authors.forename: Zafiris Jeff
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Daskalakis
keywords: EEG; autism spectrum disorder; neuroplasticity; transcranial magnetic stimulation; treatment