| Objective: To explore the effect of auditory integration training (AIT) combined with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on behavioral symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: This study was conducted on 98 children with ASD admitted to our hospital from July 2022 to December 2023. In this study, 1 case was excluded and 1 case was dislodged from the control group; 2 cases were excluded and 1 case was dislodged from the study group, resulting in the inclusion of 93 children with ASD. The children were randomly divided into 2 groups, 47 in the control group and 46 in the study group. The control group received conventional rehabilitation training and rTMS treatment, while the study group was given AIT on the basis of the control group, using the autism behavioral rating scale (ABC) and the psychoeducational scale for children with ASD, 3rd edition (PEP-3), and the event-related potentials (ERPs) and the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) test were observed. Behavioral symptoms, functional and behavioral status, ERP and BDNF levels were compared between the 2 groups before and after 12 weeks of intervention. Results: After 12 weeks of intervention, the scores of 5 items in ABC in both groups were lower than before intervention (P<0.01), and 5 scores in the study group were lower than in the rTMS group (P<0.01). After 12 weeks of intervention, the scores of two items in PEP-3, P300 amplitude, and serum level of BDNF in the two groups were higher than before intervention (P<0.05), and those in the study group were higher than in the rTMS group (P<0.01). After 12 weeks of intervention, the P300 latency in both groups were shorter than before intervention (P<0.01,0.05), and the incubation period of P300 in the study group was shorter than in the rTMS group (P<0.01). Conclusion: AIT combined with rTMS can obviously increase serum BDNF level, effectively regulate P300 potential, and obviously improve behavioral symptoms, function, and behavioral status in children with ASD. |
