Using magnetic brain stimulation to improve social thinking in autistic adults
Official title: Modulating Temporoparietal Junction Mentalizing-Related Activity in Autism Spectrum Disorder using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Funded at Hartford Hospital · NIH-11090508 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses targeted magnetic pulses to try to strengthen the brain area involved in understanding others in adults with autism.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hartford Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hartford, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $786,380 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH132044-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11090508 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are autistic adults aged 18–35 with an IQ above 80 who can safely undergo MRI and TMS procedures.
✕Less likely to help
People under 18 or over 35, those with intellectual disability (IQ ≤ 80), or anyone unable to have MRI or TMS are unlikely to be eligible or to benefit from this protocol.
What this research studies
You would join a research group comparing autistic adults and matched typically developing adults while they do a social thinking task in the scanner. Researchers will use two types of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (inhibitory and excitatory) aimed at the right temporoparietal junction and measure brain activity changes during a social-competitive fMRI task. The study plans to enroll about 40 autistic adults and 40 matched controls, each coming for four study visits with brain imaging and TMS sessions. The goal is to see whether changing activity in this brain region changes task-related social-thinking signals and relates to social communication skills.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could improve brain circuits that support understanding others and lead to better social communication for some autistic adults.
How similar studies have gone: Early pilot data and previous TMS research show the targeted brain area can be modulated and have produced mixed but promising effects on social cognition, so this builds on preliminary evidence.
Where this research is happening
-
Hartford Hospital
Hartford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Assaf, Michal — Hartford Hospital
- Study coordinator: Assaf, Michal
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Sleep problems in autism and daily functioning
A large study at a major university is looking at how sleep problems affect children with autism and their daily lives.
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Sleep and ASD: Understanding how sleep problems relate to autism symptoms
A Stanford team is studying whether sleep problems contribute to and worsen autism symptoms in children and how improving sleep could help.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.