Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Neurofunctional Motor Training in Autistic Children: A Randomized, Sham-Controlled, Double-Blind Clinical Trial

The study investigated the effects of ten 20-minute sessions of neurofunctional motor training combined with anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the primary motor cortex or cerebellum on motor skills in autistic children. A randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind clinical trial was conducted with 30 autistic children five to seven years of age. The two-week intervention (10 sessions) consisted of either sham tDCS or active tDCS (1 mA) over the primary motor cortex or cerebellum during 20 min of neurofunctional motor training (treadmill training and task-oriented circuit). Assessments were performed before as well as one, four, and eight weeks after the interventions. The primary outcome was gross and fine motor skills. The secondary outcomes were mobility, functional balance, and motor evoked potential. Analysis of variance revealed no significant difference when considering the time*group interaction (F(1.8) = 0.6, p = 0.726) for gross and fine motor skills. No significant differences were found in the secondary outcomes of mobility (F(1.8) = 1.1, p = 0.331) and functional balance (F(1.8) = 1.5, p = 0.226). In contrast, the amplitude of the motor evoked potential was significantly increased in the group that received active tDCS over the primary motor cortex compared to active tDCS over the cerebellum and sham stimulation. Ten sessions of anodal tDCS over the primary motor cortex and cerebellum during neurofunctional motor training were not effective at improving gross and fine motor skills in autistic children.