Neural Noise

HD-tDCS effects on social impairment in autism spectrum disorder with sensory processing abnormalities

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  • A randomized controlled trial evaluated high-definition tDCS (HD-tDCS) effects on social impairment in autism spectrum disorder with sensory processing abnormalities.1
  • Results support tDCS clinical evidence for behavioral and social outcomes (Nature).1 1

Weekly enrichment (2026-07-20)

  • The primary source is Wang, Li, Ke et al., a randomized double-blind sham-controlled trial published in Scientific Reports (2025; article s41598-025-93631-z) using anodal high-definition tDCS at the Cz vertex.23
  • A total of 82 children with ASD (56 male, 26 female) were enrolled and grouped by sensory status: typical sensory integration (n=20), sensory integration dysfunction (n=42), and sham (n=20); required sample size was 14 per group by G*Power (α=0.05, power 0.8).23
  • Stimulation used a 2 mA current in a ring (4×1) HD-tDCS montage, delivered daily; the recommended course was five sessions per week for 14–20 total sessions.23
  • The typical sensory-integration group showed significantly greater gains than the dysfunction group in social awareness (t=5.032, p<0.001) and autistic mannerisms (t=3.085, p=0.004).23
  • A post-hoc analysis of 51 children aged 4–8 who received true HD-tDCS found the hypo-tactile and typical tactile-sensitivity subgroups improved across social awareness, cognition, communication, autistic mannerisms and total SRS score.23
  • The hyper-tactile subgroup improved only in social communication (t=2.385, p=0.022); the authors suggest excitatory anodal stimulation may worsen hypersensitivity, and that cathodal HD-tDCS may suit these children instead.23
  • Safety was strong: 99% retention, only transient mild scalp erythema, and no serious adverse events at three-month follow-up.3
  • An earlier related trial (Autism Research, 2023) reported Cz anodal HD-tDCS reduced total SRS by 13.08% and social cognition by 18.33% in children with ASD.4
  • The authors position the findings as a basis for individualized, sensory-profile-guided HD-tDCS, ideally combined with sensory integration training.23

Footnotes

  1. https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiX0FVX3lxTE12WWZqLVNoY2ZxOG90NTlMcy05blo0T2k3TGI5Qkt0Q2pRNXVLaklabktxS3NOZm9LRHloYWhWNEk0NlptS3NvbXl5a2wtMzZJN1hUajRNZ0NZdnRfNmpj?oc=5 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93631-z ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7

  3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11928555/ ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  4. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.3018 ↩

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