Despite the significant morbidity and mortality associated with catatonia in autism, no diagnostic research has attempted to identify biomarkers for catatonia. This application will use a participant's own individual brain magnetic resonance image to target the primary motor strip with transcranial magnetic stimulation; to determine if hyper-excitability of the brain directly correlates with symptoms of catatonia and social-emotional impairment in autism. Completion of this project would result in the first study to associate hyper-excitability of the brain with catatonia and core features of autism; findings which are likely to have a significant impact on the health and well-being of autistic individuals.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
DIAGNOSTIC
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
26
This application will use a participant's own individual brain magnetic resonance image to target the primary motor strip with transcranial magnetic stimulation; to determine if hyper-excitability of the brain directly correlates with symptoms of catatonia, intellectual disability, and social-emotional impairment in autism
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
The change in motor evoked potentials elicited from transcranial magnetic stimulation
Three batches of 10 MEPs will be recorded before cTBS and used as a baseline measure of motor evoked potentials.
Time frame: Following the application of cTBS, batches of 10 MEPs will be measured every 20 minutes for a total of 120 minutes. ∆MEP amplitude will be calculated at each 20 minute interval.
Bush Francis catatonia rating scale
A systematic and standardized physical examination to assess for catatonic symptomology. The minimum score is 0, a positive screen is a score is greater than or equal to 2, and the maximum score is 69. A higher score is associated with more significant catatonic symptomology.
Time frame: This examination will be performed twice over the study period. The first examination will occur at the initial visit (baseline). The second examination will occur prior to the TMS procedure. There will be no follow up examination after study completion.
Social responsiveness scale, 2nd edition
An assessment of social and emotional relatedness for individuals with autism. Two scores will be obtained, one from the participant and another from a parent or close informant. A minimum score is 0, a maximum score is 195, and a higher score is associated with greater social emotional impairment in autism.
Time frame: Administered at the second research visit along with psychological testing. The second research session will include additional baseline testing. This test will be done before the TMS procedure is performed. It will not be repeated.
Cortical silent period duration from transcranial magnetic stimulation
A measure of the cortical silent period duration following continuous theta burst stimulation to the primary motor strip
Time frame: Obtained during TMS procedure
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