Topic - Brain Stimulation and Autism. Brain stimulation is the new frontier in treating tremor-related diseases such as Parkinson’s and the debilitating effects of severe mental illness.
Now, it’s being used to treat severe autism.
Deep brain stimulation is a technique where electrodes are implanted in the brain and act as pacemakers.
German doctors implanted electrodes in the brain of a non-verbal 13 year old with severe autism. He had serious self-injurious behaviors that required restraint.
Doctors placed electrodes in the amygdala and his symptoms improved. At 8 weeks of treatment, his symptoms went from a rating of “severely ill” to “moderately ill” in terms of aggression and self-injury.
Eye contact improved, he slept better at night, began trying new foods and didn’t harm himself as much. After 6 months, he began speaking single words.
After 44 weeks, the battery ran out and he deteriorated, but recovered when the battery was replaced. There’s hope for treating autism.
