title: A combined study of MEG and pico-Tesla TMS on children with autism disorder.
abstract: Magnetoencephalographic (MEG) recordings from the brain of 10 children with autism (6 boys and 4 girls, with ages range from 5-12 years, mean[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]SD: 8.3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]2.1) were obtained using a whole-head 122-channel MEG system in a magnetically shielded room of low magnetic noise. A double-blind experimental design was used in order to look for possible effect of external pico-Tesla Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (pT-TMS). The pT-TMS was applied on the brain of the autistic children with proper field characteristics (magnetic field amplitude: 1-7.5[Formula: see text]pT, frequency: the alpha - rhythm of the patient 8-13[Formula: see text]Hz). After unblinding it was found a significant effect of an increase of frequencies in the range of 2-7[Formula: see text]Hz across the subjects followed by an improvement and normalization of their MEG recordings. The statistical analysis of our results showed a statistical significance at 6 out of 10 patients (60%). It is also observed an increase of alpha activity in autistic children at the end of one month after pT-TMS treatment at home. In conclusion, the application of pT-TMS has the prospective to be a noninvasive, safe and important modality in the management of autism children.
authors.affiliation: * Laboratory of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupoli, Greece.
authors.forename: Photios
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Anninos
authors.affiliation: † Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital of Alexandroupoli, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupoli, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chatzimichael
authors.affiliation: * Laboratory of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupoli, Greece.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adamopoulos
authors.affiliation: * Laboratory of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupoli, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kotini
authors.affiliation: ‡ Department of Electrical Engineering, Polytechnic School, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, Greece.
authors.forename: Nicolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsagas
mesh_terms: D000513:Alpha Rhythm; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D015225:Magnetoencephalography / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: MEG; autism children; double blind; pT-TMS