Active clinical trials for "Autistic Disorder"

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.

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.

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.

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.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether pediatric participants with irritability associated with autistic disorder who have responded to aripiprazole treatment will experience a relapse significantly later when continuing therapy with aripiprazole than will participants who receive placebo

Many children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience high levels of anxiety which can further inhibit their ability to master developmental tasks such as succeeding in school and developing and maintaining friendships. Despite the need for effective treatments for children with ASD and anxiety, there have been few studies that have addressed this issue. Recently, preliminary evidence has supported the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat anxiety disorders in children with ASD. This study will utilize a CBT treatment program called Coping Cat. Coping Cat has been found to be one of the most effective treatments for typically developing children with anxiety and has also been shown to be effective for treating anxiety in children with other disorders such as physical impairments, selective mutism, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The investigators goal is to demonstrate that Coping Cat is an effective treatment for children with ASD and anxiety. Finding effective treatments for children with ASD and anxiety could increase adaptive social relationships, decrease stress among families, and prevent the maintenance of anxiety into adulthood.

This is a pilot, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of omega-3 fatty acids in autism. Autism, originally described by Kanner in 1943, is among the most severe of neurodevelopmental disorders. It is a Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) affecting social and communicative functions and is also characterized by repetitive behaviors/restricted interests. It is also frequently accompanied by significant aggression, self-injury, irritability and hyperactivity, making care for these individuals an even greater challenge for families or institutional settings. Autism severely impacts the affected individual and family members, causing life-long functional impairment. In this protocol the investigators will use the terms "autism" and "autism spectrum disorder (ASD)" interchangeably to refer to Autistic disorder, Asperger Syndrome and PDD-Not Otherwise Specified (NOS).

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are characterized by difficulties in language, social communication, and repetitive and restricted behaviors. ASD affects as many as 1 in 90-150 children. Sleep issues/insomnia is very common in children with ASD (50-80%). Insomnia has a negative impact on both the developmental and behavioral function of the child and the quality of life for the family. Causes of insomnia in children with ASD are multifactorial and can be difficult to treat effectively. Low iron stores, as manifest by low serum ferritin levels, is also common in children with ASD. Both insomnia and low iron stores are associated with Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) and Periodic Limb Movement of Sleep (PLMS). Children with ASD often have difficulty communicating symptoms or tolerating Polysomnography (Sleep Study). This makes establishing a diagnosis of RLS or PLMS very difficult in children with ASD.

This is a Brazilian multisite study to test the efficacy of an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) parent training using video modeling to teach parents of children with Autism techniques to apply to their children in order to improve eye contact and joint attention behaviors. Our hypothesis is that children with Autism whose parents will be trained by videomodeling will have better eye contact and joint attention behaviors compared to children with Autism whose parents will not be trained.

This is an open, pilot study of neural mechanisms of cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety in children with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In addition to the core symptoms, approximately forty percent of children with ASD exhibit clinically significant levels of anxiety. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a promising treatment for anxiety in children with high-functioning ASD, but the neural mechanisms of this treatment have not been studied. CBT teaches emotion regulation skills such as cognitive reappraisal, followed by behavioral exposure to anxiety-provoking situations. The investigators propose to investigate the neural mechanisms of CBT for anxiety by evaluating fMRI indices of socioemotional functioning before and after treatment in children, ages 8 to 14, with high-functioning ASD. Dysfunction of the amygdala and its connectivity with prefrontal cortex has been implicated in co-occurring ASD and anxiety. In the investigators research, compared to typically developing controls, children with ASD have shown lower activation in several regions of prefrontal cortex and a lack of down-regulation in the amygdala during a task of emotion regulation. Based on these observations, the investigators propose that a positive response to CBT for anxiety in children with ASD will be associated with increased activation of several regions in the prefrontal cortex as well as increased functional connectivity between prefrontal regions the amygdala during the task of emotion regulation. The primary aim of this pilot study is to examine the effects of CBT on the neural basis of anxiety in ASD by collecting fMRI data during emotion regulation, face perception, and rest before and after treatment. The investigators hypothesize that CBT will increase prefrontal activity, decrease amygdala reactivity, and enhance amygdala-prefrontal functional connectivity during emotion regulation. The investigators also hypothesize that CBT will decrease amygdala reactivity during perception of emotional faces. Additional analyses will be conducted to explore change in resting-state functional connectivity before and after CBT for anxiety in children with ASD.