Clinical effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review

Fumi Masuda, Shinichiro Nakajima, Takahiro Miyazaki, Ryosuke Tarumi, Kamiyu Ogyu, Masataka Wada, Sakiko Tsugawa, Paul E. Croarkin, Masaru Mimura, Yoshihiro Noda

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder, are common in children and adolescents, but treatment strategies remain limited. Although repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation has been studied for neurodevelopmental disorders, there is no clear consensus on its therapeutic effects. This systematic review examined literature on repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders published up to 2018 using the PubMed database. The search identified 264 articles and 14 articles met eligibility criteria. Twelve of these studies used conventional repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and two studies used theta burst stimulation. No severe adverse effects were reported in these studies. In patients with autism spectrum disorder, low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and intermittent theta burst stimulation applied to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may have therapeutic effects on social functioning and repetitive behaviors. In patients with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex may target inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. In patients with tic disorders, low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the bilateral supplementary motor area improved tic symptom severity. This systematic review suggests that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation may be a promising intervention for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders. The results warrant further large randomized controlled trials of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1614-1629
Number of pages16
JournalAutism
Volume23
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2019 Oct 1

Keywords

  • attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
  • autism spectrum disorder
  • children and adolescents
  • neurodevelopmental disorders
  • repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology

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