A study published in the BMJ tested whether non-invasive brain stimulation could improve social communication in autistic children with intellectual disabilities — a group often excluded from clinical trials. Researchers from Cambridge, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Fudan University administered theta-burst stimulation, a technique that delivers rapid magnetic pulses through the skull to stimulate specific neurons, over just five days. Each session lasted only a few minutes. Compared to a sham control group, children who received real stimulation showed significant improvements in social communication and language ability — gains that were still measurable a month later. No serious side effects were reported. Around 30-35% of autistic children have an intellectual disability, yet they are consistently underserved by existing therapies. The researchers stress the technique is not a replacement for behavioral support, but a five-day course represents a fundamentally different proposition for families already stretched thin. #Autism# #Neuroscience# #BrainStimulation# #MedicalResearch# #ChildHealth#