Using personalised brain stimulation to modulate social cognition in adults with autism-spectrum-disorder: protocol for a randomised single-blind rTMS study

Katia Ourania Brouzou; Daniel Kamp; Lukas Hensel; Jana Lüdtke; Juha M. Lahnakoski; Juergen Dukart; Nace Mikus; Christoph Mathys; Simon B. Eickhoff; Leonhard Schilbach

doi:10.1186/s12888-025-06719-1

Using personalised brain stimulation to modulate social cognition in adults with autism-spectrum-disorder: protocol for a randomised single-blind rTMS study

Katia Ourania Brouzou^*, Daniel Kamp, Lukas Hensel, Jana Lüdtke, Juha M. Lahnakoski, Juergen Dukart, Nace Mikus, Christoph Mathys, Simon B. Eickhoff, Leonhard Schilbach^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Abstract

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments of social interaction and communication as well as repetitive, stereotyped behaviour. Previous research indicates that ASD without intellectual impairment is associated with underactivity and reduced functional connectivity of the brain’s mentalizing pathway, to which the right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ) serves as an important entry point and hub. In this study, we aim to utilize functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to localize activation maxima in the rTPJ and other regions involved in social cognition to generate individualized targets for neuro-navigated, intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) in order to modulate brain activity in a region centrally engaged in social information processing. Methods: In this single-blind, randomized, between-subject neuroimaging-guided brain stimulation study we plan to recruit 52 participants with prediagnosed ASD and 52 controls without ASD aged between 18 and 65 years. Participants will be classified into two groups and will randomly receive one session of either verum- or sham-iTBS. Effects will be assessed by using well-established experimental tasks that interrogate social behaviour, but also use computational modelling to investigate brain stimulation effects at this level. Discussion: This study aims to use personalized, non-invasive brain stimulation to alter social information processing in adults with and without high-functioning ASD, which has not been studied before with a similar protocol or a sample size of this magnitude. By doing so in combination with behavioural and computational tasks, this study has the potential to provide new mechanistic insights into the workings of the social brain. Trial registration: German Clinical Trial Register, DRKS-ID: DRKS00028819. Registered 14 June 2022.

Original language	English
Article number	281
Journal	BMC Psychiatry
Volume	25
Issue	1
ISSN	1471-244X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06719-1
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025

Keywords

Autism spectrum disorder
Personalized neuronavigation
Social cognition
Transcranial magnetic stimulation

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Brouzou, K. O., Kamp, D., Hensel, L., Lüdtke, J., Lahnakoski, J. M., Dukart, J., Mikus, N., Mathys, C., Eickhoff, S. B., & Schilbach, L. (2025). Using personalised brain stimulation to modulate social cognition in adults with autism-spectrum-disorder: protocol for a randomised single-blind rTMS study. BMC Psychiatry, 25(1), Article 281. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06719-1

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title = "Using personalised brain stimulation to modulate social cognition in adults with autism-spectrum-disorder: protocol for a randomised single-blind rTMS study",

abstract = "Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments of social interaction and communication as well as repetitive, stereotyped behaviour. Previous research indicates that ASD without intellectual impairment is associated with underactivity and reduced functional connectivity of the brain{\textquoteright}s mentalizing pathway, to which the right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ) serves as an important entry point and hub. In this study, we aim to utilize functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to localize activation maxima in the rTPJ and other regions involved in social cognition to generate individualized targets for neuro-navigated, intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) in order to modulate brain activity in a region centrally engaged in social information processing. Methods: In this single-blind, randomized, between-subject neuroimaging-guided brain stimulation study we plan to recruit 52 participants with prediagnosed ASD and 52 controls without ASD aged between 18 and 65 years. Participants will be classified into two groups and will randomly receive one session of either verum- or sham-iTBS. Effects will be assessed by using well-established experimental tasks that interrogate social behaviour, but also use computational modelling to investigate brain stimulation effects at this level. Discussion: This study aims to use personalized, non-invasive brain stimulation to alter social information processing in adults with and without high-functioning ASD, which has not been studied before with a similar protocol or a sample size of this magnitude. By doing so in combination with behavioural and computational tasks, this study has the potential to provide new mechanistic insights into the workings of the social brain. Trial registration: German Clinical Trial Register, DRKS-ID: DRKS00028819. Registered 14 June 2022.",

keywords = "Autism spectrum disorder, Personalized neuronavigation, Social cognition, Transcranial magnetic stimulation",

author = "Brouzou, \{Katia Ourania\} and Daniel Kamp and Lukas Hensel and Jana L{\"u}dtke and Lahnakoski, \{Juha M.\} and Juergen Dukart and Nace Mikus and Christoph Mathys and Eickhoff, \{Simon B.\} and Leonhard Schilbach",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1186/s12888-025-06719-1",

language = "English",

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Using personalised brain stimulation to modulate social cognition in adults with autism-spectrum-disorder: protocol for a randomised single-blind rTMS study. / Brouzou, Katia Ourania; Kamp, Daniel; Hensel, Lukas et al.
In: BMC Psychiatry, Vol. 25, No. 1, 281, 12.2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Using personalised brain stimulation to modulate social cognition in adults with autism-spectrum-disorder

T2 - protocol for a randomised single-blind rTMS study

AU - Brouzou, Katia Ourania

AU - Kamp, Daniel

AU - Hensel, Lukas

AU - Lüdtke, Jana

AU - Lahnakoski, Juha M.

AU - Dukart, Juergen

AU - Mikus, Nace

AU - Mathys, Christoph

AU - Eickhoff, Simon B.

AU - Schilbach, Leonhard

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments of social interaction and communication as well as repetitive, stereotyped behaviour. Previous research indicates that ASD without intellectual impairment is associated with underactivity and reduced functional connectivity of the brain’s mentalizing pathway, to which the right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ) serves as an important entry point and hub. In this study, we aim to utilize functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to localize activation maxima in the rTPJ and other regions involved in social cognition to generate individualized targets for neuro-navigated, intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) in order to modulate brain activity in a region centrally engaged in social information processing. Methods: In this single-blind, randomized, between-subject neuroimaging-guided brain stimulation study we plan to recruit 52 participants with prediagnosed ASD and 52 controls without ASD aged between 18 and 65 years. Participants will be classified into two groups and will randomly receive one session of either verum- or sham-iTBS. Effects will be assessed by using well-established experimental tasks that interrogate social behaviour, but also use computational modelling to investigate brain stimulation effects at this level. Discussion: This study aims to use personalized, non-invasive brain stimulation to alter social information processing in adults with and without high-functioning ASD, which has not been studied before with a similar protocol or a sample size of this magnitude. By doing so in combination with behavioural and computational tasks, this study has the potential to provide new mechanistic insights into the workings of the social brain. Trial registration: German Clinical Trial Register, DRKS-ID: DRKS00028819. Registered 14 June 2022.

AB - Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments of social interaction and communication as well as repetitive, stereotyped behaviour. Previous research indicates that ASD without intellectual impairment is associated with underactivity and reduced functional connectivity of the brain’s mentalizing pathway, to which the right temporo-parietal junction (rTPJ) serves as an important entry point and hub. In this study, we aim to utilize functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to localize activation maxima in the rTPJ and other regions involved in social cognition to generate individualized targets for neuro-navigated, intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) in order to modulate brain activity in a region centrally engaged in social information processing. Methods: In this single-blind, randomized, between-subject neuroimaging-guided brain stimulation study we plan to recruit 52 participants with prediagnosed ASD and 52 controls without ASD aged between 18 and 65 years. Participants will be classified into two groups and will randomly receive one session of either verum- or sham-iTBS. Effects will be assessed by using well-established experimental tasks that interrogate social behaviour, but also use computational modelling to investigate brain stimulation effects at this level. Discussion: This study aims to use personalized, non-invasive brain stimulation to alter social information processing in adults with and without high-functioning ASD, which has not been studied before with a similar protocol or a sample size of this magnitude. By doing so in combination with behavioural and computational tasks, this study has the potential to provide new mechanistic insights into the workings of the social brain. Trial registration: German Clinical Trial Register, DRKS-ID: DRKS00028819. Registered 14 June 2022.

KW - Autism spectrum disorder

KW - Personalized neuronavigation

KW - Social cognition

KW - Transcranial magnetic stimulation

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105001307394

U2 - 10.1186/s12888-025-06719-1

DO - 10.1186/s12888-025-06719-1

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 40133861

AN - SCOPUS:105001307394

SN - 1471-244X

VL - 25

JO - BMC Psychiatry

JF - BMC Psychiatry

IS - 1

M1 - 281

ER -

Using personalised brain stimulation to modulate social cognition in adults with autism-spectrum-disorder: protocol for a randomised single-blind rTMS study

Abstract

Keywords

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