Thomas VanCott compares his son Jake’s experience with autism to life on a tightrope. Upset the delicate balance and Jake, 18, plunges into frustration, slapping himself and twisting his neck in seemingly painful ways.Like many families with children on the autism spectrum, Jake’s parents sought treatments beyond traditional speech and behavioral therapies. One that seemed promising was magnetic e-resonance therapy, or MERT, a magnetic brain stimulation therapy trademarked in 2016 by a Newport Beach-based company called Wave Neuroscience.The company licensed MERT to private clinics across the country that offered it as a therapy for conditions including depression, PTSD, and autism.

What is Magnetic E-Resonance Therapy?

MERT is described by clinics as a non-invasive innovation that could improve an autistic child’s sleep, social skills, and — most attractive to the VanCott family — speech. Jake is minimally verbal. It was expensive — $9,000 — and not covered by insurance. “It’s too much for most things,” VanCott said, “but not for the potential of my child speaking.”After raising money through GoFundMe, VanCott met with a doctor in New Jersey who described how MERT would reorganize Jake’s brain waves. VanCott does not have a scientific background, and the technical details went over his head. What he had was a severely disabled son he was desperate to help.

Parents’ Experiences with MERT

Autism diagnoses in children have risen steadily since 2000, in part due to increased awareness and screening. As the number of people living with autism has grown, so have alternative therapies promising to alleviate or reverse its associated behaviors. “There’s also a lot of pressure put on parents,” said Zoe Gross, a director at the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, a nonprofit group run by and for autistic adults. “People will be saying things like, ‘Time’s ticking, your kid’s missing milestones ... you have to fix it now.’”One therapy that often surfaces in Google searches, social media groups, and word-of-mouth discussions is MERT. Clinics offering MERT sell it as a “safe and effective treatment for autism” that yields “miraculous results” for kids on the spectrum. Most compelling to many families is an oft-cited marketing claim that research has shown MERT to improve speech and eye contact in a majority of autistic patients.The Los Angeles Times spoke to parents who said MERT caused positive, lasting changes in their autistic children’s sleep, communication, and concentration. Other parents saw minimal or no changes at all. Some even reported worrying behavioral regressions.

Scientific Backing and Criticism

Wave has not conducted any studies on whether its signature product works for autism. A Wave executive argued that the need for new autism therapies is strong enough to justify commercial solutions before rock-solid evidence is available. However, nine psychologists and neuroscientists with expertise in brain stimulation and autism say there’s no solid data to suggest MERT works for autism.MERT is based on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a therapy approved by the FDA for treating depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and cigarette addiction. Clinics offering cash-pay TMS for a variety of off-label conditions, including autism, have proliferated in recent years. But specialists suggest that more large, randomized control trials are needed to determine its efficacy specifically for autism.

How Does MERT Work?

MERT providers first use EEG, a common brain scan, to assess patients. Wave’s proprietary technology then determines which areas of the brain to target for treatment. During treatment, a magnetic coil is placed against the patient’s scalp. Each session of gentle electromagnetic pulses lasts about 30 minutes and is administered five days a week, for two to six weeks.Wave's president and chief medical officer, Dr. Erik Won, said the goal is “to help the brain function most efficiently as an organ.” The hypothesis is that if they improve the brain's metabolic efficiency, they might see changes in various medical conditions — including autism.

The Financial and Emotional Cost

A six-week course of MERT typically costs $9,000 to $12,000 and is not covered by insurance. Families have turned to savings, crowdfunding, or even credit cards to afford the treatment. Despite the financial strain, some parents say any potential benefit is worth the cost. Others, like VanCott, experienced disappointment but explain that the hope of possibly helping their child was a powerful motivator.Despite the therapy’s promise, there’s still a significant gap in the empirical data supporting its efficacy for autism. Wave admits it owes the community “academically rigorous science” to back up its claims.

Expert Opinions

Dr. Andrew Leuchter, the director of UCLA’s TMS Clinical and Research Service, believes TMS therapy could have benefits for conditions other than those it's currently approved for. However, he remains cautious about recommending TMS for autism due to the lack of strong evidence. He emphasizes the need for careful consideration and transparent communication about the current state of research.Other experts like Lindsay Oberman highlight the need for large, randomized controlled trials before broad off-label use is justified. Without this data, the broad efficacy and safety of TMS for autism remain uncertain.

The Future of MERT and Autism Therapy

Wave Neuroscience is dedicated to researching and understanding the full potential of MERT. Their ongoing clinical trials for PTSD show their commitment to expanding the evidence base for their therapies. However, when it comes to autism, the urgency felt by families drives a quicker adoption of experimental treatments than the research might support.For parents like VanCott, the decision to pursue MERT came from a place of hope and urgency. His story underscores the complex landscape that many families navigate when seeking treatments for autism — a blend of scientific promise, emotional vulnerability, and the relentless pursuit of better outcomes for their children.In the journey of supporting autistic children, the intrinsic value lies not just in the pursuit of the newest therapies but in community, understanding, and shared experiences. Whether or not MERT fulfills its promise, what shines through is the resilient spirit of families committed to finding the best possible support for their autistic children.