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©The Author(s) 2026. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Psychiatry. Feb 19, 2026; 16(2): 114358
Published online Feb 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i2.114358
Published online Feb 19, 2026. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v16.i2.114358
Neurofeedback for autism spectrum disorder: Current evidence, challenges, and future directions
Yan Zhang, Administration Office, Lishui Second People’s Hospital, Lishui 311402, Zhejiang Province, China
Jun-Jie Wang, Judicial Appraisal Institute, Affiliated Mental Health Center and Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310013, Zhejiang Province, China
Hao-Yu Xing, Department of Medical Engineering, The Affiliated Mental Health Center and Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310013, Zhejiang Province, China
Juan Yan, Quality Control Office, Affiliated Mental Health Center and Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310013, Zhejiang Province, China
Co-first authors: Yan Zhang and Jun-Jie Wang.
Co-corresponding authors: Hao-Yu Xing and Juan Yan.
Author contributions: Zhang Y and Wang JJ contribute equally to this study as co-first authors; Xing HY and Yan J contribute equally to this study as co-corresponding authors; all authors contributed to the manuscript conception and design; Xing HY performed material preparation, data collection and analysis; Zhang Y, Wang JJ, and Xing HY wrote the first draft of the manuscript; all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript; all authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Juan Yan, MD, Professor, Quality Control Office, Affiliated Mental Health Center and Hangzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, No. 305 Tianmushan Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310013, Zhejiang Province, China. 294162939@qq.com
Received: September 17, 2025
Revised: October 24, 2025
Accepted: November 19, 2025
Published online: February 19, 2026
Processing time: 135 Days and 18.2 Hours
Revised: October 24, 2025
Accepted: November 19, 2025
Published online: February 19, 2026
Processing time: 135 Days and 18.2 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Neurofeedback therapy (NFT), a non-invasive technique using real-time electroencephalography feedback to self-regulate brain activity, may offer benefits for neural dysregulation in autism spectrum disorder. However, current evidence is limited by small sample sizes and protocol variability. While NFT could potentially enhance neuroplasticity and complement behavioral therapies, its clinical application requires validation through rigorous randomized controlled trials. Future work should focus on personalizing protocols based on biomarkers and improving accessibility via telehealth solutions.