Hippotherapy for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Executive Function and Electrophysiological Outcomes

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Hippotherapy, a sensorimotor intervention, is proposed for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• Its potential to improve executive function (EF) is suggested, but electrophysiological mechanisms via resting-state EEG are underexplored.
• Understanding EEG changes can elucidate the neural underpinnings of hippotherapy's effects in ASD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of a 12-session hippotherapy program on executive function (EF) in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
• To explore changes in resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) spectral power and functional connectivity.
• To examine the relationship between EF improvements and electrophysiological changes.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental study involving 48 children with ASD (ages 9-12) assigned to hippotherapy (n=24) or a waitlist control (n=24).
• EF was assessed using standardized tests (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop, Corsi, Tower of London).
• Resting-state EEG data were analyzed for spectral power and functional connectivity (PLI, PTE) before and after the intervention.

Main Results:

• The hippotherapy group showed significant improvements in all EF measures compared to controls (p < 0.001).
• EEG analyses revealed localized Group × Time interactions in frontal delta power and alpha-, theta-, beta-band connectivity.
• The hippotherapy group exhibited more consistent pre-post EEG changes, indicating stabilized brain dynamics, though direct EEG-behavior links were not found.

Conclusions:

• A 12-session hippotherapy program is associated with significant EF improvements and relative stabilization of resting-state brain activity in children with ASD.
• The direct mechanistic link between observed EEG and behavioral changes remains unclear.
• Further research with larger randomized trials and active controls is needed to confirm efficacy and elucidate mechanisms.