Citalopram (Celexa), a medication commonly prescribed to children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), was no more effective than a placebo at reducing repetitive behaviors, according to a multi-site clinical trial.
A new multi-center study, conducted at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in collaboration with five other centers throughout the country, tested the commonly prescribed antidepressant citalopram and found that it was no more effective than placebo in altering obsessive features of the condition "“ the spinning, rocking and repetitive behavior.
The antidepressant citalopram does not appear to reduce the occurrence of repetitive behaviors in children and teens with autism spectrum disorders, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
A drug commonly given to autistic children to reduce repetitive behaviors is ineffective and may increase repetitive behaviors. "The short term message is, this treatment didn't work. That surprised us. More importantly, we have to do large, scientifically-sound comparative studies, not rely on doctors' and families' impressions," says co-authorLin Sikich, M.D., at the UNC School of Medicine.
UCLA scientists have discovered a variant of a gene that may increase a child's risk of developing autism, particularly in boys.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and Duke University find that impaired brain plasticity may explain how disruption of a single gene in the brain can cause severe cognitive deficits.
Autism spectrum disorders were the centerpiece of a symposium of major mid-Atlantic research centers. Investigators presented multifaceted research using genetics, neurobiology and imaging studies to investigate the intricate puzzle of autism.
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