scholarly journals Vitamin B6 and Magnesium on Neurobehavioral Status of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Controlled Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-18
Author(s):  
Farhana Khan ◽  
Md Sayedur Rahman ◽  
Shaheen Akhter ◽  
Abdul Basit Ibne Momen ◽  
Sheikh Golam Raihan
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Placebo Group ◽  
Vitamin B6 ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
General Observation ◽  
Children With Asd

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurobehavioral disorder for which till date, no pharmacological treatment has been proven effective. Some studies on complementary alternative medicines have shown neurobehavioral improvements among children diagnosed with ASD, notably with the administration of a combination of Vitamin B6 and Magnesium. Methods: This trial was designed to observe the effectiveness of a combination of Vitamin B6 and Magnesium in children with ASD with hyperactivity. One of the primary aim was to investigate any improvement among the six domains of ASD: general observation, cognition, emotion, social behavior, communication, and sensory deficits. Patients attending the outpatient department of the Institute of Pediatric Neurodisorder and Autism (IPNA), Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, diagnosed as ASD, were selected for this trial on meeting the selection criteria diagnosed by DSM 5 (Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental disorders) and ADCL (Autism Diagnostic CheckList). Then the patients were randomly assigned into intervention group (Vitamin B6 and Magnesium) or placebo group. The intervention group received tablets of Vitamin B6 and Magnesium daily, for 3 months, where the dosage was pre-determined by age of the subjects. Patients aged 2-3 years received 50mg Magnesium and 25mg Vitamin B6 daily, aged 4-8 years received 100mg Magnesium and 50mg Vitamin B6 daily, and patients aged 9-12 years were given 200mg Magnesium and 100mg Vitamin B6 daily. The placebo group received similar looking oral placebo tablets for the duration as the intervention group. After 3 months, each patient was assessed once again using ADCL tool by a psychologist. Results: Seventy (70) patients were enrolled for this study over a period of seven months. Among them fifty (50) met all criteria to be eligible for analysis. Therefore, intention to treat (ITT) was seventy (70) and per protocol treatment was fifty (50). Of these patients, twenty-seven (27) received Vitamin B6 and Magnesium and twenty-three (23) received placebo. The improvement observed in the proportion of patients in the intervention group (81%) was significantly (pd”0.05) higher compared to placebo (47%) group. This study revealed an overall improvement in the symptoms of autism along with improvements in specific domains e.g., Emotion (pd”0.01) and Cognition (pd” 0.05). Conclusion: Despite the small population size, this study demonstrated neurobehavioural improvement among children with ASD with hyperactivity and irritability. Consequently, this can be expected that future studies conducted on a larger scale might help to establish the beneficial role of Vitamin B6 and Magnesium as a complementary treatment for autism with hyperactivity and irritability. Bangladesh J Medicine January 2021; 32(1) : 12-18

scholarly journals Modulation of striatal functional connectivity differences in adults with and without autism spectrum disorder in a single-dose randomized trial of cannabidivarin

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charlotte M. Pretzsch ◽  
Dorothea L. Floris ◽  
Bogdan Voinescu ◽  
Malka Elsahib ◽  
Maria A. Mendez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Small Pilot Study ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Methodological Aspects

Abstract Background Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a high cost to affected individuals and society, but treatments for core symptoms are lacking. To expand intervention options, it is crucial to gain a better understanding of potential treatment targets, and their engagement, in the brain. For instance, the striatum (caudate, putamen, and nucleus accumbens) plays a central role during development and its (atypical) functional connectivity (FC) may contribute to multiple ASD symptoms. We have previously shown, in the adult autistic and neurotypical brain, the non-intoxicating cannabinoid cannabidivarin (CBDV) alters the balance of striatal ‘excitatory–inhibitory’ metabolites, which help regulate FC, but the effects of CBDV on (atypical) striatal FC are unknown. Methods To examine this in a small pilot study, we acquired resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 28 men (15 neurotypicals, 13 ASD) on two occasions in a repeated-measures, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. We then used a seed-based approach to (1) compare striatal FC between groups and (2) examine the effect of pharmacological probing (600 mg CBDV/matched placebo) on atypical striatal FC in ASD. Visits were separated by at least 13 days to allow for drug washout. Results Compared to the neurotypicals, ASD individuals had lower FC between the ventral striatum and frontal and pericentral regions (which have been associated with emotion, motor, and vision processing). Further, they had higher intra-striatal FC and higher putamenal FC with temporal regions involved in speech and language. In ASD, CBDV reduced hyperconnectivity to the neurotypical level. Limitations Our findings should be considered in light of several methodological aspects, in particular our participant group (restricted to male adults), which limits the generalizability of our findings to the wider and heterogeneous ASD population. Conclusion In conclusion, here we show atypical striatal FC with regions commonly associated with ASD symptoms. We further provide preliminary proof of concept that, in the adult autistic brain, acute CBDV administration can modulate atypical striatal circuitry towards neurotypical function. Future studies are required to determine whether modulation of striatal FC is associated with a change in ASD symptoms. Trial registration clinicaltrials.gov, Identifier: NCT03537950. Registered May 25th, 2018—Retrospectively registered, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03537950?term=NCT03537950&draw=2&rank=1.

scholarly journals Improving Antioxidant Capacity in Children With Autism: A Randomized, Double-Blind Controlled Study With Cysteine-Rich Whey Protein

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Maria Castejon ◽  
Jordan Ashley Spaw ◽  
Irina Rozenfeld ◽  
Nurit Sheinberg ◽  
Susan Kabot ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Placebo Group ◽  
Antioxidant Capacity ◽  
Whey Protein ◽  
Adaptive Behavior ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Internalizing Behavior ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Children With Asd

Previous studies indicate that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have lower levels of glutathione. Nutritional interventions aim to increase glutathione levels suggest a positive effect on ASD behaviors, but findings are mixed or non-significant. A commercially available nutritional supplement comprising a cysteine-rich whey protein isolate (CRWP), a potent precursor of glutathione, was previously found to be safe and effective at raising glutathione in several conditions associated with low antioxidant capacity. Therefore, we investigated the effectiveness of a 90-day CRWP intervention in children with ASD and examined whether intracellular reduced and oxidized glutathione improvements correlated with behavioral changes. We enrolled 46 (of 81 screened) 3–5-year-old preschool children with confirmed ASD. Using a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled design, we evaluated the effectiveness of daily CRWP (powder form: 0.5 g/kg for children <20 kg or a 10-g dose for those >20 kg), compared with placebo (rice protein mimicking the protein load in the intervention group), on glutathione levels and ASD behaviors assessed using different behavioral scales such as Childhood Autism Rated Scale, Preschool Language Scale, Social Communication Questionnaire, Childhood Behavioral Checklist and the parent-rated Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale, 2nd edition (VABS-II). Forty children (CRWP, 21; placebo, 19) completed the 90-day treatment period. Improvements observed in some behavioral scales were comparable. However, the VABS-II behavioral assessment, demonstrated significant changes only in children receiving CRWP compared to those observed in the placebo group in the composite score (effect size 0.98; 95% confidence intervals 1.42–4.02; p = 0.03). Further, several VABS-II domain scores such as adaptive behavior (p = 0.03), socialization (p = 0.03), maladaptive behavior (p = 0.04) and internalizing behavior (p = 0.02) also indicated significant changes. Children assigned to the CRWP group showed significant increases in glutathione levels (p = 0.04) compared to those in the placebo group. A subanalysis of the VABS-II scale results comparing responders (>1 SD change from baseline to follow up) and non-responders in the CRWP group identified older age and higher levels of total and reduced glutathione as factors associated with a response. CRWP nutritional intervention in children with ASD significantly improved both glutathione levels and some behaviors associated with ASD. Further studies are needed to confirm these results.Clinical Trial Registration:https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT01366859, identifier: NCT01366859.

scholarly journals Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 on Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Taiwan: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 820 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liu ◽  
Liong ◽  
Chung ◽  
Huang ◽  
Peng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Lactobacillus Plantarum ◽  
Outcome Measure ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Secondary Outcome Measure ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Double Blind Placebo

This four-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study investigated the effects of Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 (PS128) on boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) aged 7–15 in Taiwan. All subjects fulfilled the criteria for ASD diagnosis of DSM-V and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). Questionnaires used for the primary outcome measure include the Autism Behavior Checklist-Taiwan version (ABC-T), the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham-IV-Taiwan version (SNAP-IV) and the Clinical Global Impression-improvement (CGI-I) were used for the secondary outcome measure. The results showed that PS128 ameliorated opposition/defiance behaviors, and that the total score of SNAP-IV for younger children (aged 712) improved significantly compared with the placebo group. Additionally, several elements were also notably improved in the PS128 group after 28-day consumption of PS128. Further studies are needed to better clarify the effects of PS128 for younger children with ASD on broader symptoms.

The Influence of Language Context on Repetitive Speech Use in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 327-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Gladfelter ◽  
Cassidy VanZuiden
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Receptive Vocabulary ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
School Age Children ◽  
Social Responsiveness ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
Language Context

Purpose Although repetitive speech is a hallmark characteristic of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the contributing factors that influence repetitive speech use remain unknown. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine if the language context impacts the amount and type of repetitive speech produced by children with ASD. Method As part of a broader word-learning study, 11 school-age children with ASD participated in two different language contexts: storytelling and play. Previously collected language samples were transcribed and coded for four types of repetitive speech: immediate echolalia, delayed echolalia, verbal stereotypy, and vocal stereotypy. The rates and proportions of repetitive speech were compared across the two language contexts using Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests. Individual characteristics were further explored using Spearman correlations. Results The children produced lower rates of repetitive speech during the storytelling context than the play-based context. Only immediate echolalia differed between the two contexts based on rate and approached significance based on proportion, with more immediate echolalia produced in the play-based context than in the storytelling context. There were no significant correlations between repetitive speech and measures of social responsiveness, expressive or receptive vocabulary, or nonverbal intelligence. Conclusions The children with ASD produced less immediate echolalia in the storytelling context than in the play-based context. Immediate echolalia use was not related to social skills, vocabulary, or nonverbal IQ scores. These findings offer valuable insights into better understanding repetitive speech use in children with ASD.

scholarly journals Parents’ Perceptions of Early Interventions and Related Services for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Saudi Arabia

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faihan Alotaibi ◽  
Nabil Almalki
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Early Intervention ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Early Interventions ◽  
Related Services ◽  
Children With Asd ◽  
The Government

<p class="apa">The present study sought to examine parents’ perceptions of early interventions and related services for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Saudi Arabia. In this study a survey was distributed to a sample of 80 parents with children who have ASD. Parents also were asked open-ended questions to enable them to provide suggestions. The findings indicate that parents have varying perceptions of early interventions and related services. However, they seem to agree that these services are important in assisting their children. Accordingly, parents have suggested that the government needs to increase these services by providing more centers for children with ASD in Saudi Arabia, providing more specialists to deal with children with ASD, promoting inclusion in regular schools and providing more information on early intervention.</p>

scholarly journals Implication of the Sensory Environment in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Perspectives from School

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 7670
Author(s):  
Ana Gentil-Gutiérrez ◽  
José Luis Cuesta-Gómez ◽  
Paula Rodríguez-Fernández ◽  
Jerónimo Javier González-Bernal
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Children With Autism ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Sensory Profile ◽  
School Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Children With Asd

(1) Background: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) frequently have difficulties in processing sensory information, which is a limitation when participating in different contexts, such as school. The objective of the present study was to compare the sensory processing characteristics of children with ASD in the natural context of school through the perception of professionals in the field of education, in comparison with neurodevelopmental children (2) Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study as conducted with study population consisting of children between three and ten years old, 36 of whom were diagnosed with ASD and attended the Autismo Burgos association; the remaining 24 had neurotypical development. The degree of response of the children to sensory stimuli at school was evaluated using the Sensory Profile-2 (SP-2) questionnaire in its school version, answered by the teachers. (3) Results: Statistically significant differences were found in sensory processing patterns (p = 0.001), in sensory systems (p = 0.001) and in school factors (p = 0.001). Children with ASD who obtained worse results. (4) Conclusions: Children with ASD are prone to present sensory alterations in different contexts, giving nonadapted behavioral and learning responses.

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