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Treatment to Promote Self-regulation in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Primary Purpose

Autism Spectrum Disorder, Self-Regulation, Emotion

Status
Recruiting
Phase
Phase 2
Locations
Canada
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
Sham stimulation
Sponsored by
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional treatment trial for Autism Spectrum Disorder focused on measuring transcranial magnetic stimulation, rTMS, MRI

Eligibility Criteria

9 Years - 18 Years (Child, Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and self-regulation impairment or challenges
  • Able to participate in rTMS

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Children with autism spectrum disorder but no co-morbid self-regulation disorders.
  • Children with contraindications to TMS (history of seizures, family history of seizures, metal implants)
  • Co-existing neurological conditions (epilepsy, stroke, etc.)

Sites / Locations

  • Bloorivew Research InstituteRecruiting

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Experimental

Sham Comparator

Arm Label

repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

Sham

Arm Description

Participants will receive 15 rTMS sessions for 3 weeks.

Participants will receive 15 sessions of sham stimulation for 3 weeks.

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Recruitment
Recruitment rates of 4 participants/month are achieved with a ≥ 20% response rate
Attrition
Attrition rates of less than 10% (i.e., ≥90% of participants successfully complete assessments).
Adherence
90% of participants who complete assessment achieve the target intensity and dose (15 rTMS sessions)
Blinding success
Blinding of participants and their parents/caregivers and required study team members will be assessed using a Blinding Questionnaire indicating the perceived group membership (rTMS/sham)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Clinical Measure of Self-regulation: Emotion Dysregulation Index Reactivity and Dysphoria
Change in total score on Reactivity (0-96) and Dysphoria (0-24) scales - greater scores indicates a worse outcome
Clinical Measure of Self-Regulation: The Response To Stress Questionnaire - Family Stress
Change in total score Response To Stress Questionnaire Family Stress Version (57-228, greater score indicates worse a outcome)
Clinical Measure of Self-regulation: Aberrant Behaviour Checklist - Irritability Subscale
Change in total score on Aberrant Behaviour Checklist - Irritability Subscale (15-60, greater score indicates a worse outcome)
Clinical Measure of Self-regulation: Emotional Regulation Checklist
change in total score on Emotional Regulation Checklist (24-96, low scores indicate worse outcomes)
Overall Clinical Change
Clinical Global Impression scale - 1 item on a scale from 0-7 (a change of 0.5 indicates a clinical impact of significance)
Inhibitory control
Go/No-Go Task Performance
Functional brain changes (magnetic resonance imaging)
change in blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal associated with go/no-go task
Structural brain changes (magnetic resonance imaging)
Diffusion imaging - change in fractional anisotropy

Full Information

First Posted
January 10, 2022
Last Updated
October 28, 2022
Sponsor
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Collaborators
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT05235919
Brief Title
Treatment to Promote Self-regulation in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Official Title
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to Promote Helpful Self-regulatory Behaviour in Children and Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
October 2022
Overall Recruitment Status
Recruiting
Study Start Date
September 22, 2022 (Actual)
Primary Completion Date
February 2025 (Anticipated)
Study Completion Date
February 2025 (Anticipated)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Principal Investigator
Name of the Sponsor
Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
Collaborators
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto

4. Oversight

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
No
Product Manufactured in and Exported from the U.S.
No
Data Monitoring Committee
Yes

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
This study will evaluate the feasibility of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with self-regulation impairment. Baseline and follow-up participant visits will include behavioral assessments of self-regulation and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine neurophysiological outcomes before and after rTMS treatment.
Detailed Description
Children and youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) often present with co-morbid impairments in self-regulation (e.g., difficulty managing their emotions) resulting in unhelpful regulatory approaches such as disruptive compulsive, aggressive and self-injurious behaviour. There is an urgent need to establish novel, precise and effective interventions that promote self-regulation and reduce disruptive behaviours. This project will collect pilot data on the effects of repetitive TMS in reducing disruptive behaviours in youth with ASD, in order to inform the design of a follow-up full-scale clinical trial. Youth with ASD who experience clinically significant difficulties with self-regulation and disruptive behaviour will be recruited. Participants will be randomized to rTMS or sham rTMS for 3 weeks. The overall feasibility of the trial will be assessed. The effect of rTMS on the brain mechanisms of self-regulation and clinical improvement in disruptive behaviours will also be measured. Neurophysiological outcomes, including changes in regional brain network activity for inhibition of behaviour, will be explored.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Autism Spectrum Disorder, Self-Regulation, Emotion
Keywords
transcranial magnetic stimulation, rTMS, MRI

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Phase 2
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Model Description
Randomized sham-controlled rTMS trial
Masking
ParticipantInvestigatorOutcomes Assessor
Masking Description
Participants and outcomes assessor will be blind to rTMS or sham condition.
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
50 (Anticipated)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
Arm Type
Experimental
Arm Description
Participants will receive 15 rTMS sessions for 3 weeks.
Arm Title
Sham
Arm Type
Sham Comparator
Arm Description
Participants will receive 15 sessions of sham stimulation for 3 weeks.
Intervention Type
Device
Intervention Name(s)
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)
Intervention Description
30 minutes rTMS session 5 days/week for 3 weeks.
Intervention Type
Other
Intervention Name(s)
Sham stimulation
Intervention Description
30 minutes sham stimulation 5 days/week for 3 weeks.
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Recruitment
Description
Recruitment rates of 4 participants/month are achieved with a ≥ 20% response rate
Time Frame
Weeks 1-18
Title
Attrition
Description
Attrition rates of less than 10% (i.e., ≥90% of participants successfully complete assessments).
Time Frame
Weeks 1-18
Title
Adherence
Description
90% of participants who complete assessment achieve the target intensity and dose (15 rTMS sessions)
Time Frame
Weeks 1-18
Title
Blinding success
Description
Blinding of participants and their parents/caregivers and required study team members will be assessed using a Blinding Questionnaire indicating the perceived group membership (rTMS/sham)
Time Frame
Weeks 1-18
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Clinical Measure of Self-regulation: Emotion Dysregulation Index Reactivity and Dysphoria
Description
Change in total score on Reactivity (0-96) and Dysphoria (0-24) scales - greater scores indicates a worse outcome
Time Frame
Weeks 1, 6, 18
Title
Clinical Measure of Self-Regulation: The Response To Stress Questionnaire - Family Stress
Description
Change in total score Response To Stress Questionnaire Family Stress Version (57-228, greater score indicates worse a outcome)
Time Frame
Weeks 1, 6, 18
Title
Clinical Measure of Self-regulation: Aberrant Behaviour Checklist - Irritability Subscale
Description
Change in total score on Aberrant Behaviour Checklist - Irritability Subscale (15-60, greater score indicates a worse outcome)
Time Frame
Weeks 1, 6, 18
Title
Clinical Measure of Self-regulation: Emotional Regulation Checklist
Description
change in total score on Emotional Regulation Checklist (24-96, low scores indicate worse outcomes)
Time Frame
Weeks 1, 6, 18
Title
Overall Clinical Change
Description
Clinical Global Impression scale - 1 item on a scale from 0-7 (a change of 0.5 indicates a clinical impact of significance)
Time Frame
Weeks 1, 6, 18
Title
Inhibitory control
Description
Go/No-Go Task Performance
Time Frame
Weeks 1, 6, 18
Title
Functional brain changes (magnetic resonance imaging)
Description
change in blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal associated with go/no-go task
Time Frame
Weeks 1, 6, 18
Title
Structural brain changes (magnetic resonance imaging)
Description
Diffusion imaging - change in fractional anisotropy
Time Frame
Weeks 1, 6, 18

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
9 Years
Maximum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Children with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and self-regulation impairment or challenges Able to participate in rTMS Exclusion Criteria: Children with autism spectrum disorder but no co-morbid self-regulation disorders. Children with contraindications to TMS (history of seizures, family history of seizures, metal implants) Co-existing neurological conditions (epilepsy, stroke, etc.)
Central Contact Person:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
Trina Mitchell, PhD
Phone
416-425-6220
Ext
3965
Email
tmitchell@hollandbloorview.ca
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
Deryk Beal, PhD
Phone
416-425-6220
Ext
3582
Email
dbeal@hollandbloorview.ca
Overall Study Officials:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Deryk Beal, PhD
Organizational Affiliation
Holland Bloorview Research Institute
Official's Role
Principal Investigator
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Bloorivew Research Institute
City
Toronto
State/Province
Ontario
ZIP/Postal Code
M4G 1R8
Country
Canada
Individual Site Status
Recruiting
Facility Contact:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Trina Mitchell, PhD
Phone
416-425-6220
Ext
3965
Email
tmitchell@hollandbloorview.ca
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Deryk Beal, PhD
Phone
416-425-6220
Ext
3582
Email
dbeal@hollandbloorview.ca
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Deryk Beal, PhD, Reg. CASLPO, CCC-SLP
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
Evdokia Anagnostou, MD

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Plan to Share IPD
No
Citations:
PubMed Identifier
26536383
Citation
Oberman LM, Enticott PG, Casanova MF, Rotenberg A, Pascual-Leone A, McCracken JT; TMS in ASD Consensus Group. Transcranial magnetic stimulation in autism spectrum disorder: Challenges, promise, and roadmap for future research. Autism Res. 2016 Feb;9(2):184-203. doi: 10.1002/aur.1567. Epub 2015 Nov 4.
Results Reference
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Treatment to Promote Self-regulation in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

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