Active clinical trials for "Autistic Disorder"

This study is being conducted to look at whether a group programme designed for parents of children with a diagnosis of Autism is effective. The programme is called The START Programme ©- as it aims to provide a Supportive and Therapeutic environment to help parents gain Acceptance and reach Resolution so that they can Take action to live more consistently with their values. The programme was developed by two psychologists in Longford/Westmeath, Ireland, Dr. Michelle Howard and Kara McDermott in 2013, because they identified a lack of therapeutic support for such parents. The programme draws on research and theory from a branch of therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, as well as some other psychological techniques. Individuals who agree to participate in the research will be assigned at random to the intervention or to a treatment as usual control condition. They will be asked to fill out 4 questionnaires, on 3 different occasions, with a 7 week gap between the first time and second time, and a 3 month gap between the second and third time.

The clinical study evaluates in an open-label, crossover design the comparative efficacy and safety of intranasal oxytocin and autologous umbilical cord blood for improving the functioning of children with autistic spectrum disorder

This study is an 8-week open-label trial testing oxytocin nasal spray (Syntocinon) as a treatment for social impairment in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We hypothesize that oxytocin nasal spray will be safe, tolerable, and effective in improving the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorders in adolescents ages 11-17.

Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine are seeking participants for a study examining the effectiveness of vasopressin, a neuropeptide, in treating children with autism spectrum disorder. Difficulty with social interactions is characteristic of people with autism, who often have problems interpreting facial expressions or maintaining eye contact while talking with someone. There are currently no effective medicines available to treat social problems in individuals with autism. Neuropeptides, such as vasopressin and oxytocin, are molecules used by neurons in the brain to communicate with one another. Vasopressin is closely related to oxytocin, which is currently being tested as a treatment for autism, and has been shown to enhance social functioning in animals. Animal studies have shown that when the proper functioning of vasopressin is experimentally altered, animals develop a variety of social deficits, including impaired memory for peers and a reduced interest in social interaction. Researchers found that when vasopressin was administered to mice with a genetically induced form of autism, their social functioning improved. Vasopressin is already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in humans, and has proved to be a successful treatment for some common pediatric conditions, including bedwetting. Similar to oxytocin, it also has been shown to improve social cognition and memory in people who do not have autism. The researchers will test the effects of vasopressin on social impairments in 50 boys and girls with autism, ages 6 to 12 years old. The study will last four weeks for each participant. Participants will receive either vasopressin or a placebo nasal spray. At the end of this phase of the study, those who received the placebo will have the option of participating in a four-week trial during which they will be given vasopressin. Stanford is the only site for the study. Participants do not need to live locally but will need to come to the Stanford University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences for study visits.

This study will assess the tolerability and effectiveness of pregnenolone in the treatment of behavioral deficits in adults with autism. Pregnenolone is a naturally occurring hormone found in the body which has been shown to help with the function of nerve cells. It is also shown to modulate the activity of certain brain receptors implicated in autism. We hope to examine the tolerability of pregnenolone in adults with autism.

In this protocol we aim to use rTMS to better characterize STS role in normal and abnormal social cognition. With that purpose, we will measure the effect of inhibitory and excitatory rTMS on the fixation time on social scenes (using eye-tracking methodology) or on the ability to recognize human voice/sounds.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterized by abnormalities in speech and communication, impaired social functioning and repetitive behaviors and restricted interests. Oxytocin (OT) is peptide that is known for its peripheral effects on facilitating uterine contractions and milk let-down; however, studies, mainly with rodents and non-human primates, has found that OT is involved in affiliative behaviors, including sexual behavior, mother-infant and adult-adult pair-bond formation, separation distress, and other aspects of social attachment. Moreover, OT is known to play an important role in repetitive behaviors and stress reactivity. Given that repetitive behaviors and deficits in social interaction are core symptom domains of autism, and that OT is involved in the regulation of repetitive and affiliative behaviors, it is believed that OT may play a role in the etiology of autism. Moreover, preliminary data obtained by Hollander and colleagues suggests that OT may be of value in treating core autism symptoms. Specifically, synthetic oxytocin administered via intravenous infusion to adults with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) produced significant reductions in repetitive behaviors and facilitated social cognition/memory in a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over laboratory challenge. Encouraged by these findings, the primary aim of this study is to investigate the safety and therapeutic efficacy of intranasal OT in treating repetitive behaviors and social functioning/cognitive deficits in adults with ASD. This research embraces a translational approach to develop a novel treatment for core ASD symptoms; given that there are currently no Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved medication treatments for core ASD symptoms, this research addresses an important unmet need in the field. The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of repeated Intranasal Oxytocin Treatment (INOT)administration in adults with ASD.

The proposed study is an internet-based, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial which will assess changes in hyperactivity in children ages five through eight with an autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and elevated levels of hyperactivity. In order to answer this question, this study will assess changes in hyperactivity as measured by the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) in children with ASD and elevated baseline levels of hyperactivity who are randomly assigned to use 1.3 grams of omega-3 fatty acids daily compared to placebo. The overwhelming majority of study procedures, including recruitment, informed consent, assessment of inclusion and exclusion criteria, and collection of baseline and outcome measures will take place over the internet.

The purpose of this study is to determine if adults with autism spectrum disorder and with normal intelligence improve from 36 sessions (1 calendar year) of group treatment with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or recreational activity in groups with 6-8 participants.

Primary: Demonstrate reduced frequency and intensity of maladaptive behaviors as measured by the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) Irritability subscale in subjects given Nuedexta 8 weeks over subjects given placebo. Secondary: Demonstrate a trend towards reduced aggressive behavior as measured by Overt Aggression Scale (OAS).