Modulation of cerebro-cerebellar circuits using transcranial magnetic stimulation

Modulation of cerebellar subfields with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is an emerging field with limited research to date and is a critical area of development for precision medicine in psychiatry. There is limited knowledge regarding the appropriate stimulation parameters that are able to modulate the cerebrocerebellar networks thought to underlie different aspects of the cognition and behavior. The cerebellum is not only limited to motor control and is the major modulatory center of every cerebral network in the brain. 

However, very little is known about the impact of the cerebellar modulation on higher order cognitive domains. Aim 1 of this study will establish appropriate stimulation parameters for TMS targeting the cerebellum and the impact of this stimulation on neurophysiology, motor behaviors, sensory processing, and social functioning. Additionally, the cerebellum is highly implicated in autism spectrum disorder and may play a role in the core symptom domains of this neurodevelopment condition. Aim 2 of this study will utilize the TMS protocols developed in Aim 1 to target the neuropathology of autism and establish the impact of cerebellar TMS on the core diagnostic domains. There are no biologically based interventions for autistic patients for their core autistic traits and this study will help identify the first mechanistically driven intervention that can be personalized for each patient based on their individual neurobiological and behavioral profiles. Overall, there is critical need and substantial room for growth to further our understanding of the cerebellum and precision medicine for autism and other psychiatric conditions.