Non-Helium Magnetoencephalography in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Non-Helium Magnetoencephalography for Identifying Neurobiological Features and Functional Biomarkers in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Observational Cohort Study

The goal of this observational study is to learn how brain activity in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) differs from typical developing children using magnetoencephalography (MEG).

The main questions this study aims to answer are:

Do children with ASD show different patterns of neural oscillation compared to typically developing children? Can MEG identify specific brain features that help ASD diagnosis?

Participants will undergo MEG scan in both resting and tasking state, and their brain activity will be analyzed for characteristic neural oscillations and connectivity patterns.

This study may help develop better tools for early ASD diagnosis.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Boys aged 6 to 12 years;
• Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder meeting DSM-5 criteria;
• Intelligence quotient (IQ) score > 70 (assessed via Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children or other validated cognitive test);
• Sufficient compliance to participate in MEG experiments.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Comorbid neurological disorders, genetic syndromes, or severe developmental disabilities;
• Metallic implants that may interfere with MEG signal acquisition;
• Current use of antipsychotic medications or sedatives.