Study of Multiple Sessions of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation tDCS with Social Learning Tasks in Adults Aged 18-35 With Autism Spectrum Disorder or High Autism Traits

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying the effects of multiple sessions of transcranial direct current stimulation tDCS paired with social learning tasks on adults aged 18 to 35 who have autism spectrum disorder ASD or high traits of autism. The study aims to compare the effects of active versus sham tDCS on behavioral, physiological, and brain activity measures, using a randomized controlled trial with a crossover design. The goal is to improve social communication and social alignment, which are often impaired in autistic adults. Participants will complete two blocks of sessions one block of five daily sessions with active anodal tDCS over the right temporoparietal junction rTPJ combined with social learning tasks, and another block of five daily sessions with sham tDCS and the same tasks. There is a four-week break between the two blocks. Social learning tasks include video modeling of social interactions, facial emotion detection, and empathy training. Throughout the study, participants will undergo behavioral, physiological, and electrophysiological testing before and after each block of stimulation. These tests assess emotional distress, social anxiety, social impairment, empathy, prosodic alignment, emotion expression, social learning, and quality of life. Participants will also complete a social validity questionnaire after finishing the study. The research team will monitor these outcomes to understand how tDCS paired with social tasks affects social functioning in adults with ASD.

Effects of Multiple-Session Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) on Behavioral, Physiological, and Electrophysiological Measures With Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)