Active clinical trials for "Autistic Disorder"

This study will examine the effects of treatment with the anti-anxiety medicine buspirone on driving performance (eye tracking) in individuals with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (HF-ASD). The study consists of an Assessment Visit at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), as well as two Driving Simulation visits that will take place at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Subjects will be given buspirone and asked to take the medication for the two days preceding the Driving Simulation Visit.

Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are at higher risk for developing co-existing mental health conditions and consequently experiencing psychiatric hospitalization, compared to the general pediatric population. However, hospital environments can be exceptionally stressful for this population, given their social-communication deficits, ineffective emotional regulation skills and heightened physiological arousal. While the use of animal-assisted activities (AAA) show potential for various improvements in children with ASD in community settings, these "stress-reducing" and "social-buffering" benefits have not yet been studied within a psychiatric hospital setting for youth with ASD. Objectives: Evaluate whether an AAA with canines can lead to reduced physiological arousal and improvements in social-communication as well as aberrant behaviors in children and adolescents diagnosed with ASD in a specialized psychiatric hospital setting. Methods: Participants were recruited from the Neuropsychiatric Special Care (NSC) program's inpatient and/or partial day-treatment program. Prior to study participation, baseline demographic measures were acquired from caregivers and participants' ASD diagnosis was confirmed. Participants experienced two, randomly assigned 35-minute sessions (AAA and Control Condition) with a minimum two-day washout period between groups. Each session included a baseline 20-minute social skills group immediately followed by a 10 minute experimental or control condition. The AAA condition introduced a canine and volunteer handler for free interaction time while the control condition introduced a novel toy and a volunteer for free interaction. Participants' physiological arousal was continuously assessed throughout all conditions via the Empatica E-4 wristbands (Empatica Inc. 2014). All sessions were videotaped for behavioral coding using the Observation of Human Animal Interaction for Research - Modified, v.1.

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have unique social-communication and behavior impairments that complicate their medical management. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using a picture schedule paired with a reinforcement system during the medical exam. Two groups (treatment and control) of children (ages 5 - 10 yrs) diagnosed with ASD and below average adaptive communication impairment were asked to participate. Following participation in an overview of autism diagnostic symptoms training, two teams (comprised of one chief medical resident and one nurse), blind to the study aim, conducted the study exams.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is rising and was estimated to have a prevalence of around 1.5% in developed countries in 2016. ASD is characterized by impairments in social interaction and repetitive behavior and is associated with executive dysfunction such as impaired working memory, inhibition, and flexibility. Furthermore, ASD is often associated with multiple comorbidities such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression, and anxiety. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses indicate that fish oil (FO) supplementation improves attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity in children with ADHD and beneficial effects in adults with depression and anxiety. Some randomized trials in children with ASD have shown improvements on selected executive functions, but results from meta-analysis are inconsistent and no trial has examined the effect in adults with ASD. Furthermore, most of the previous studies have mainly assessed effects by questionnaires and no objective tests, only provided low doses (<1.5 g/d of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids) and none of them have examined the potential influence of comorbid ADHD, depression, or anxiety. The aim of the study was to examine the effect of FO on sustained attention and visuospatial short-term memory memory, as well as cognitive inhibition, executive function, and core symptoms of ASD, and of ADHD, and social function in adults with ASD. In light of the shared and additive cognitive impairments in individuals with both ASD and ADHD, the hypothesis was that individuals with comorbid ADHD will show the most pronounced effects. The study furthermore aimed to examine potential interaction with depression, anxiety, and gender. This was investigated in a randomized double-blind head-to-tail crossover trial in 26 adults with ASD, who are provided with FO and safflower oil (SO) for 4 weeks each. The subjects were examined at baseline and after each period with tests of attention and working memory (primary endpoints) as well as a test of cognitive flexibility and clinical questionnaires.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has increased dramatically in the last decade. The increasing occurrence of ASD creates an imperative need to test the effectiveness and efficacy mechanisms of appropriate interventions. Hippotherapy (HPOT) is a treatment option that has been show beneficial for children with ASD as well as other children with developmental disorders. The current projects focuses on understanding the mechanisms of HPOT efficacy and evaluating a short-term HPOT program for children with ASD.

The investigators aim to identify the effect of a 12-week fundamental motor skills (FMS) (e.g., throwing, catching, running) intervention on the active participation in physical recreation activities and a variety of other factors (child behaviors, communication, and adaptive skills) and to identify patterns, benefits, constraints, and strategies to active participation in physical recreation activities among families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (pre-post) through in-person or via phone interviews with parents and children with ASD.

Mindfulness is a technique that involves the intentional and non-judgmental regulation of attention to the present moment, with curiosity, openness, and acceptance, as per its definition. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been used to manage mood disorders in various clinical and non-clinical settings, including neurological patients and cardiovascular diseases. Studies have consistently demonstrated that MBIs reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as rumination. MBIs are considered an alternative and effective treatment for reducing psychological stress in the management of different health conditions. Virtual reality (VR) has recently been proposed as an intermediate interface to help patients with emotional dysregulation learn mindfulness practices. Within this context, new approaches to mental health integrating advanced technologies such as VR can play a critical role. In this interventional study we will seek to demonstrate the effectiveness of a virtual reality-mediated mindfulness-based intervention in a particular group of people who are constantly experiencing psychological distress due to caring for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Cognitive behavioral therapy sessions can effectively reduce distress in mothers of children with autism. here we emphasize on the role of problem solving appraisal in CBT sessions to improve problem solving skills ability and minimize psychological distress . pre- intervention assessment (T1) for all participants , then designed 8 sessions for study group will apply . post intervention assessment (T2) will conduct immediately after CBT sessions

Syracuse University Fit Families is designed to increase the activity level and frequency of the children through modified activities using adapted equipment and, importantly, to increase the families' comfort level in having their children participate in a variety of physical activities, including team and individual sports.

The purpose of this proof of concept study is to use functional magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral assessments to investigate the effect of citalopram on restricted repetitive behaviors in people with autism spectrum disorders.