Experimental treatment of autism offers hope, confusion, mixed results
It’s not an uncommon problem with experimental medical procedures and treatments. You hear of one success story or one case that shows promise—and that fuels a desire to make sure all options are made available to an individual.
But the space between anecdote and solid evidence can be wide. Two recent stories and a podcast investigate such a situation—this time looking at an experimental treatment for autism.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation was approved by the FDA for use in treating major depression in patients who don’t respond to medication.
A story for Spectrum, a digital magazine about autism science, discussed the experience of a Minneapolis woman who sought TMS treatments for her teenage son. Kim Hollingsworth Taylor saw marked improvement in her son’s condition after receiving TMS, but the benefits vanished over time.
Similarly, a middle-aged physician on the autism spectrum had an unsettling experience with TMS—and her story was recently featured on the NPR podcast Invisibilia. The woman, also named Kim, underwent TMS twice. She was able to perceive subtle emotions in others for the first time in her life—but such ability vanished in less than an hour.
"It could be that you would get a glimpse of this and you couldn't have it, and it would be completely heartbreaking and you couldn't get over it," she told Invisibilia host Alix Spiegel.
For the NPR story, follow the link below:
Nicholas joined TriMed in 2016 as the managing editor of the Chicago office. After receiving his master’s from Roosevelt University, he worked in various writing/editing roles for magazines ranging in topic from billiards to metallurgy. Currently on Chicago’s north side, Nicholas keeps busy by running, reading and talking to his two cats.