Use of MRI and cTBS for Catatonia in Autism

NCT ID: NCT06016764

Last Updated: 2025-12-31

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

PHASE1

Total Enrollment

26 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2023-08-23

Study Completion Date

2025-12-01

Brief Summary

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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.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Autism Spectrum Disorder Catatonia Intellectual Disability

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

DIAGNOSTIC

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Individuals with a diagnosis of autism

Individuals with an autism diagnosis

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Continuous Theta Burst in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Intervention Type DEVICE

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

Interventions

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Continuous Theta Burst in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

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

Intervention Type DEVICE

Other Intervention Names

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cTBS TMS Neuromodulation

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Individuals aged 15-40 years of age will be enrolled. This age range was selected given the high degree of social development occurring in this life stage, the developmental nature of ASD, and ongoing cTBS-induced changes in MEP amplitude observed in AIC individuals as they age.
* Subjects and/or guardians must also be fluent in English, diagnosed with ASD based on DSM-5 criteria1 and Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-II (ADOS-II) assessment,78 and competent to assent to the study based on investigator clinical evaluation. Consenting guardians will be included if indicated.
* Subjects, or guardians if subjects cannot consent, must be competent to consent to the study. Subjects must be able to assent to the study as determined by clinical evaluation from the primary investigator.

Exclusion Criteria

* History of substance abuse/dependence,
* History of concomitant major medical/neurologic illness
* History of seizure within one calendar year
* History of traumatic brain injury
* Pregnant or currently breastfeeding
* Are psychiatrically or medically unstable as determined by the investigator clinical evaluation
* Prescribed medication contraindicated in TMS
* Have a history of TMS treatment.
* Are diagnosed with a syndrome which results in ASD symptoms as preliminary research suggests individuals with these diagnoses have differing biomarker responses to TMS.26
* Children below the age of fifteen will also be excluded because of decreased likelihood of remaining still in the MRI scanner, as well as for scientific reasons surrounding unknown variability for key variables during pubertal onset.
* MRI scanning also introduces exclusionary criteria for conditions contraindicated to MRI, thus individuals with any bodily metal, history of claustrophobia, or pacemakers will be excluded.
* Expresses dissenting behaviors as outlined below.
Minimum Eligible Age

15 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

40 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Vanderbilt Kennedy Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Vanderbilt University Medical Center

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Joshua Ryan Smith, MD

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Other Identifiers

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220645

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id