Researchers conducted a phase I trial testing deep brain stimulation in the nucleus accumbens (a brain region linked to reward and motivation) to treat self-harming behavior in autistic children, and found promising results. This is preliminary work — phase I trials are designed to test safety and identify dosing in small groups, not prove effectiveness. The study appears to be real and peer-reviewed, though some experts quoted in coverage express concerns about study design and generalizability to larger populations.