Deep Brain Stimulation for Severe Self-Injurious Behaviour in Children

Participation Requirements

• Sex:

  ALL

• Eligible Ages:

  5 to 17

Participation Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age 5-17 at the time of enrollment
* DSM-5 diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder
* History of repetitive self-injurious behaviour, as reported by parents and documented on clinical assessment, either at the time of enrollment into the study or in prior medical records. The definition of self-injury is contextual, but requires ongoing, intermittent or continuous manifestation of self-mediated physical injury to the child.
* Foreseeable risk of serious future self-harm.
* Screening by study team for presence automatically reinforced self-injurious behaviour (ASIB) subtype 2 or subtype 3 based on caregiver history.
* Failure or non-eligibility of medical therapy with ongoing repetitive self-injurious behaviours, at 6 months or more after initiation of therapy.
* Parents or legal guardians, including caregivers, informed and able to provide written consent.
* Able to comply with all testing, follow-up visits, and study appointments and protocols for 12 months following the end of the duration of the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Substance dependence or abuse in the last 6 months, excluding caffeine and nicotine.
* Any contraindication to MRI scanning.
* Presence of cardiac arrhythmias, or other cardiac, respiratory, renal or endocrine conditions that may incur significant risk from a surgical procedure.
* Pregnancy.