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Study Summary: Effects of Mini-Basketball Training on Children with Autism
Background
- Social communication impairments (SCI) are a key challenge for children with autism.
- Research has linked SCI to abnormalities in brain activity.
- Physical exercise has shown potential to improve SCI, but more scientific evidence is needed.
Methods
- 30 preschool children with autism participated (15 in experimental group, 15 in control group).
- Experimental group underwent a 12-week mini-basketball training program (MBTP) in addition to routine behavioral rehabilitation.
- Control group received only routine behavioral rehabilitation.
- Assessment of SCI using Social Responsiveness Scale-Second Edition (SRS-2).
- Brain activity evaluated using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.
Results
- After 12 weeks of MBTP, significant improvements were observed in total SRS-2 scores and in specific domains related to social interaction.
- Experimental group showed changes in brain activity, with increased regional homogeneity (ReHo) in certain brain areas and decreased ReHo in others.
- Decrease in ReHo in a specific brain area positively correlated with improved social communication scores.
Conclusions
- The 12-week MBTP was found to be effective in improving SCI and brain activity in preschool children with autism.
PMID: 38659073 | DOI: 10.1186/s13102-024-00885-7
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