Autism Spectrum Disorder

More than 5.4 million American adults today have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). At Rise TMS, top board-certified psychiatrist Priya Parmar, MD, and her team offer transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a leading-edge treatment for ASD in adults. This noninvasive, pain-free treatment can restimulate inactive parts of the brain and improve functioning in the parts of the brain involved in mood and behavior. Call the Westlake Village, California, office today or book your appointment online.

What is autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

ASD describes brain differences that lead to difficulty with communication and other areas of life. This disorder is most often diagnosed in children around age 3-10. Adults might not receive a diagnosis until later in life, especially if they’re high-functioning.

What are the symptoms of autism spectrum disorder in adults?

ASD symptoms in adults can include:

• Difficulty managing your emotions
• Difficulty understanding how others feel
• Words and facial expressions don’t match
• Difficulty holding conversations
• Missing social cues
• Restrictive schedule
• Strong special interests
• Difficulty maintaining eye contact
• Flat tone when speaking

ASD can occur alongside other disorders, sometimes making it more difficult to recognize symptoms. About 40% of adults with autism also experience depression, and up to 70% have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

How is autism spectrum disorder treated?

ASD treatment depends on your needs and how ASD symptoms affect your life. You might find treatment helpful if you’re struggling with symptoms that disrupt your day-to-day activities.

Occupational, speech, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) help many adults with autism manage their symptoms and enjoy a better quality of life.

ASD isn’t treatable with medication. But if you have comorbid conditions like depression, ADHD, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you might need oral medication to improve your quality of life. Unfortunately, many medications for these conditions come with unpleasant side effects. Some patients never get the results they need from oral medication.

Rise TMS offers transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). This drug-free treatment uses a magnet and a small electrical pulse to stimulate the salience network. These brain structures affect thoughts and emotions.

Dysfunction in the salience network, like broken brain connections, can lead to many disruptive and unhealthy behaviors. TMS repairs parts of the salience network that aren’t functioning correctly, restoring brain connections and improving thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

TMS is a more comprehensive approach than medication because it helps correct the source of the problem. TMS has no side effects and is entirely painless.

Ketamine is another alternative treatment that can rewire the brain and restore healthy thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. If you have ASD and struggle with other disorders like depression, ketamine provides rapid antidepressant effects.

Call Rise TMS today or book your appointment through the online scheduler to learn how TMS can help with high-functioning ASD.

*TMS and ketamine are not yet FDA-approved for the treatment of ASD. Results may vary.