REAC Non-invasive Neurobiological Stimulation for Mitigating the Impact of Internalizing Disorders in Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Published in: Advances in neurodevelopmental disorders 2021-12, Vol.5 (4), p.446-456
• Main Authors: Rinaldi, Arianna, Maioli, Margherita, Marins Martins, Márcia C., de Castro, Pollyanna Celso Felipe, de Oliveira Silva, Natália Almeida Prado, de Mattos, Jaqueline Albieri Vieira, Fontani, Vania, Rinaldi, Salvatore
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alzheimer's disease; Autism; Behavior; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Caregivers; Child and School Psychology; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive ability; Developmental Psychology; Electric fields; Mental disorders; Motor ability; Neurobiology; Neurosciences; Optimization; Original Paper; Psychiatry; Psychology; Public Health; Quality of life; Questionnaires; Senescence; Skills; Social Work
• ISSN: 2366-7532; 2366-7540
• DOI: 10.1007/s41252-021-00217-7

Objectives Allostatic overload occurs when environmental factors become excessive for the individual capacity of neurobiological response and can trigger internalizing disorders. These disorders have a strong impact on individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can exacerbate ASD symptoms and deficits. A non-invasive neurobiological stimulation technology, called the radio electric asymmetric conveyer (REAC), has been shown to be effective in improving internalizing disorders and remodeling the individual allostatic response. On these premises, REAC neurobiological stimulation treatments have been introduced for the treatment of internalizing disorders in ASD. The aim of this current research was to retrospectively verify the effects of REAC treatments on motor, cognitive, and behavioral skills and symptoms, assessed using the Autism Profiling Questionnaire (APQ). Methods Data were collected through administration of the APQ to the caregivers of 112 individuals with ASD. The caregivers rated every cluster of the questionnaire with a score based on an evaluation scale ranging from 0 to 10. Results At the 3-month follow-up, the caregivers perceived and rated a global improvement of the individuals with ASD in all clusters. Conclusions This research suggests that the mitigating effects of REAC neuromodulation treatments in relation to the severity of internalizing disorders can enhance the quality of life and the autonomy of individuals with ASD, as shown by the shift in the median values in all 21 items of the APQ toward an improvement in symptoms and skills.