ISSN 1671-3710
CN 11-4766/R
主办:中国科学院心理研究所
出版:科学出版社

心理科学进展 ›› 2025, Vol. 33 ›› Issue (4): 598-610.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1042.2025.0598 cstr: 32111.14.2025.0598

• 多学科视角下的孤独症神经心理机制专栏 • 上一篇    下一篇

治疗孤独症谱系障碍:重复经颅磁刺激的潜在作用

田仁霞1, 杨平1(), 郭园园1, 吴瑕2   

  1. 1贵州师范大学心理学院, 贵阳 550025
    2华南师范大学脑科学与康复医学研究院, 广州 510898
  • 收稿日期:2023-05-08 出版日期:2025-04-15 发布日期:2025-03-05
  • 通讯作者: 杨平, E-mail: yangp@m.scnu.edu.cn
  • 作者简介:第一联系人:杨平和田仁霞为本文共同第一作者
  • 基金资助:
    国家社会科学基金重大项目(20&ZD296);广东省重点领域研发计划(2019B030335001);国家自然科学基金项目(32260211)

Treatment of autism spectrum disorder: The potential role of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

TIAN Renxia1, YANG Ping1(), GUO Yuanyuan1, WU Xia2   

  1. 1School of Psychology, Guizhou Normal University, Guiyang 550025, China
    2Institute of Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510898, China
  • Received:2023-05-08 Online:2025-04-15 Published:2025-03-05

摘要:

孤独症谱系障碍(Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD)是一种复杂的神经发育障碍, 其病因和表现形式具有高度异质性, 目前临床尚缺乏确切有效的治疗方案。重复性经颅磁刺激(repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, rTMS)作为一种神经调控技术, 在ASD治疗领域展现出应用价值。研究发现, 低频rTMS能够调节大脑皮层的神经兴奋−抑制平衡, 而高频rTMS则可以提高目标脑区的兴奋性。本研究表明, 低频rTMS靶向ASD背外侧前额叶皮层可以改善重复和刻板行为, 而高频rTMS靶向ASD颞顶联合区可以改善社交与互动障碍。未来研究应着重关注以下方面:探索rTMS干预的最佳年龄窗口期, 采用严谨的双盲、假刺激对照和随机分组的交叉实验设计, 以及整合临床量表评估、行为学测量和靶点脑区的神经生物学指标进行疗效评估, 为相关临床实践提供更可靠的循证依据。

关键词: 孤独症谱系障碍, 重复经颅磁刺激, 背外侧前额叶皮层, 颞顶联合区

Abstract:

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a non-invasive brain modulation technique that has gained increasing attention in the field of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) intervention in recent years. This study systematically reviews the literature on rTMS interventions for ASD from 2014 to 2024, focusing on its mechanisms of action, target selection, and the relationship with core symptoms, as well as future optimization directions.

Regarding the mechanisms of action, (1) low-frequency rTMS modulates cortical GABAergic neurotransmission to restore the excitatory-inhibitory (E/I) balance, thereby significantly improving repetitive and stereotypical behaviors as well as executive function deficits in ASD; (2) high-frequency rTMS enhances synaptic long-term potentiation (LTP) and regulates neurotransmitter transmission to increase the excitability of target regions and associated neural networks, contributing to the alleviation of social interaction impairments in ASD.

From the perspective of target selection, studies indicate that low-frequency rTMS targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has shown significant effects in improving repetitive and stereotypical behaviors and executive function in ASD. High-frequency rTMS targeting the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ, including pSTS and IPL) has been found to significantly enhance social behaviors and language abilities in ASD patients. Intervention cycles are generally set to 15-18 sessions, with stimulation intensity adjusted based on individual motor thresholds (80%-100%) to ensure a balance between efficacy and safety.

Although rTMS interventions have shown some positive results, existing studies still have several limitations. This review highlights the following issues: (1) random double-blind designs are not widely employed, with most studies lacking strict experimental controls, and only a few studies using sham stimulation as a control; (2) target localization is mainly based on standard electrode caps or the “5 cm rule,” which has limited precision, with only a few studies using individualized brain imaging for localization; (3) stimulation parameters (such as frequency, intensity, and duration) are not standardized and require optimization; (4) the critical period effect of rTMS interventions for ASD, particularly during the highly plastic period of early childhood (0-6 years), remains unclear and warrants further investigation.

To enhance the scientific rigor and clinical efficacy of rTMS interventions for ASD, future studies should focus on designing strict random double-blind trials, preferably using sham stimulation as a control to mitigate placebo effects. Additionally, multimodal techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and electroencephalography (EEG) should be employed to elucidate the underlying neural mechanisms. Furthermore, the effects of rTMS at different age stages and its personalized therapeutic outcomes should be systematically evaluated. Lastly, exploring the optimization of stimulation parameters could improve the therapeutic effects and provide a basis for individualized treatments.

Key words: autism spectrum disorder, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, temporoparietal junction

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