Using resting‑state brain connectivity to predict who benefits from tDCS in adolescents with autism
Official title: Resting-State Functional Connectivity as a Predictor of tDCS Effects in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University · NCT06878326 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will test whether resting‑state brain connectivity can predict which adolescents (ages 12–22) with autism benefit from anodal or cathodal tDCS to the left DLPFC versus sham.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 12 Years to 22 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 90 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Hung Hom, Kowloon) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | April 2027 |
| Study ends | April 2027 |
| Registry record updated | September 25, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06878326 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are Chinese‑speaking adolescents aged 12–22 with a confirmed DSM‑5 diagnosis of autism from a registered psychiatrist or clinical psychologist, who are not taking psychiatric medications and have no other neurological or psychiatric disorders or history of head trauma.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients likely not to benefit include those outside the 12–22 age range, without a confirmed clinical ASD diagnosis, those on psychiatric medication, or those with other neurological/psychiatric disorders or prior head trauma.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Ninety adolescents with autism (aged 12–22) will receive three stimulation conditions targeting the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: cathodal tDCS, anodal tDCS, and sham. Resting‑state functional connectivity will be measured before stimulation (using EEG-based connectivity measures) and linked to cognitive outcomes after each stimulation condition. The design compares active versus sham stimulation within participants to probe both therapeutic effects and underlying neural mechanisms. The main goal is to determine whether baseline connectivity patterns predict who shows cognitive improvement following active tDCS.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could help identify which adolescents with autism are likely to gain cognitive benefits from tDCS, enabling more personalized neuromodulation treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous small trials of tDCS in ASD have reported mixed but sometimes promising cognitive or behavioral effects, though robust predictive biomarkers like resting‑state connectivity remain largely untested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * being 12-22 years old * diagnosed with ASD given by registered psychiatrists or clinical psychologists according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5th Edition (DSM-5) criteria of ASD * able to communicate in Chinese Exclusion Criteria: * without a confirmed diagnosis from the clinical psychologist * history of other neurological and psychiatric disorders and head trauma * on psychiatric medication
Where it's running
-
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Yvonne Han, PhD — The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Study coordinator: Yvonne Han, PhD
- Email: yvonne.han@polyu.edu.hk
- Phone: +852 2766 7578
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.