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Baclofen as an adjuvant therapy for autism: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2019; 28:1619-1628. [PMID: 30980177 DOI: 10.1007/s00787-019-01333-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that the function of the GABAergic system is abnormally low in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Baclofen, which functions as a selective agonist for GABAB receptors, does appear promising for the treatment of ASD. We conducted a 10-week randomized-controlled study aimed at evaluating the potential of baclofen as an adjuvant therapy to enhance the effect of risperidone in children with ASD. Sixty-four children (3-12 years) with moderate-to-severe irritability symptoms of ASD were included. We used the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community Edition (ABC-C) for the outcome measures on each of the follow-up visits (weeks 0, 5, and 10). Analysis of the combined data revealed significant improvement for all the ABC subscales (irritability: F = 51.644, df = 1.66, p < 0.001, lethargy: F = 39.734, df = 1.38, p < 0.001, stereotypic behavior: F = 25.495, df = 1.56, p < 0.001, hyperactivity: F = 54.135, df = 1.35, p < 0.001, and inappropriate speech: F = 19.277, df = 1.47, p = 0.004). Combined treatment with baclofen and risperidone exerted a greater effect on improvement of hyperactivity symptoms at both midpoint [Cohen's d, 95% confidence interval (CI) = - 3.14, - 5.56 to - 0.72] and endpoint (d, 95% CI = - 4.45, - 8.74 to - 0.16) when compared with treatment with placebo plus risperidone. The two treatments achieved comparable results for other outcome measures. Our data support safety and efficacy of baclofen as an adjuvant to risperidone for improvement of hyperactivity symptoms in children with ASD.
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Horder J, Andersson M, Mendez MA, Singh N, Tangen Ä, Lundberg J, Gee A, Halldin C, Veronese M, Bölte S, Farde L, Sementa T, Cash D, Higgins K, Spain D, Turkheimer F, Mick I, Selvaraj S, Nutt DJ, Lingford-Hughes A, Howes OD, Murphy DG, Borg J. GABA A receptor availability is not altered in adults with autism spectrum disorder or in mouse models. Sci Transl Med 2019; 10:10/461/eaam8434. [PMID: 30282698 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aam8434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Preliminary studies have suggested that γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors, and potentially the GABAA α5 subtype, are deficient in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, prior studies have been confounded by the effects of medications, and these studies did not compare findings across different species. We measured both total GABAA and GABAA α5 receptor availability in two positron emission tomography imaging studies. We used the tracer [11C]flumazenil in 15 adults with ASD and in 15 control individuals without ASD and the tracer [11C]Ro15-4513 in 12 adults with ASD and in 16 control individuals without ASD. All participants were free of medications. We also performed autoradiography, using the same tracers, in three mouse models of ASD: the Cntnap2 knockout mouse, the Shank3 knockout mouse, and mice carrying a 16p11.2 deletion. We found no differences in GABAA receptor or GABAA α5 subunit availability in any brain region of adults with ASD compared to those without ASD. There were no differences in GABAA receptor or GABAA α5 subunit availability in any of the three mouse models. However, adults with ASD did display altered performance on a GABA-sensitive perceptual task. Our data suggest that GABAA receptor availability may be normal in adults with ASD, although GABA signaling may be functionally impaired.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamie Horder
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences and Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Max Andersson
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm County Council, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Maria A Mendez
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences and Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Nisha Singh
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.,Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Ämma Tangen
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm County Council, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan Lundberg
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm County Council, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Antony Gee
- Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Christer Halldin
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm County Council, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Mattia Veronese
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Sven Bölte
- Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND), Pediatric Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Psychiatry Research, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars Farde
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm County Council, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.,Personalised Healthcare and Biomarkers, AstraZeneca, PET Science Centre, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Teresa Sementa
- Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Diana Cash
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Karen Higgins
- Department of Neuroimaging, Institute of Psychiatry Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Debbie Spain
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences and Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Federico Turkheimer
- Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Centre for Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Inge Mick
- Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Centre for Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sudhakar Selvaraj
- Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Centre for Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - David J Nutt
- Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Centre for Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Anne Lingford-Hughes
- Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Centre for Psychiatry, Division of Brain Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Oliver D Howes
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Declan G Murphy
- Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences and Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Jacqueline Borg
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm County Council, SE-171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.,Center of Neurodevelopmental Disorders at Karolinska Institutet (KIND), Pediatric Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
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Dai YC, Zhang HF, Schön M, Böckers TM, Han SP, Han JS, Zhang R. Neonatal Oxytocin Treatment Ameliorates Autistic-Like Behaviors and Oxytocin Deficiency in Valproic Acid-Induced Rat Model of Autism. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:355. [PMID: 30356897 PMCID: PMC6190900 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impaired social communication and repetitive/stereotyped behaviors. The neuropeptide oxytocin (OXT) plays a critical role in regulating social behaviors in the central nervous system, as indicated in both human and animal studies. We hypothesized that central OXT deficit is one of causes of etiology of ASD, which may be responsible for the social impairments. To test our hypothesis, central OXT system was examined in valproic acid (VPA)-induced rat model of autism (VPA rat). Our results showed that adolescent VPA rats exhibited a lower level of OXT mRNA and fewer OXT-ir cells in the hypothalamus than control rats. Additionally, OXT concentration in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was reduced. The number of OXT-ir cells in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of neonatal VPA rats was also lower. Autistic-like behaviors were observed in these animals as well. We found that an acute intranasal administration of exogenous OXT restored the social preference of adolescent VPA rats. Additionally, early postnatal OXT treatment had long-term effects ameliorating the social impairments and repetitive behaviors of VPA rats until adolescence. This was accompanied by an increase in OXT-ir cells. Taken together, we demonstrated there was central OXT deficiency in the VPA-induced rat model of autism, and showed evidence that early postnatal OXT treatment had a long-term therapeutic effect on the autistic-like behaviors in VPA rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chuan Dai
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Hong-Feng Zhang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Neurodegenerative Disease and Aging Research, Institute of Neuroscience, College of Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center for Brain Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Michael Schön
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.,International Graduate School in Molecular Medicine Ulm, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Tobias M Böckers
- Institute for Anatomy and Cell Biology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany
| | - Song-Ping Han
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.,Wuxi HANS Health Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Wuxi, China
| | - Ji-Sheng Han
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Neuroscience Research Institute, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Key Laboratory for Neuroscience, Ministry of Education, National Health and Family Planning Commission, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Department of Neurobiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
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Daghsni M, Rima M, Fajloun Z, Ronjat M, Brusés JL, M'rad R, De Waard M. Autism throughout genetics: Perusal of the implication of ion channels. Brain Behav 2018; 8:e00978. [PMID: 29934975 PMCID: PMC6085908 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2017] [Revised: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) comprises a group of neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders characterized by deficits in social interactions, interpersonal communication, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors and may be associated with intellectual disabilities. The description of ASD as a synaptopathology highlights the importance of the synapse and the implication of ion channels in the etiology of these disorders. METHODS A narrative and critical review of the relevant papers from 1982 to 2017 known by the authors was conducted. RESULTS Genome-wide linkages, association studies, and genetic analyses of patients with ASD have led to the identification of several candidate genes and mutations linked to ASD. Many of the candidate genes encode for proteins involved in neuronal development and regulation of synaptic function including ion channels and actors implicated in synapse formation. The involvement of ion channels in ASD is of great interest as they represent attractive therapeutic targets. In agreement with this view, recent findings have shown that drugs modulating ion channel function are effective for the treatment of certain types of patients with ASD. CONCLUSION This review describes the genetic aspects of ASD with a focus on genes encoding ion channels and highlights the therapeutic implications of ion channels in the treatment of ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Daghsni
- L'institut du Thorax, INSERM UMR1087/CNRS UMR6291, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France.,Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, LR99ES10 Laboratoire de Génétique Humaine, 1007, Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Mohamad Rima
- Department of Neuroscience, Institute of Biology Paris-Seine, CNRS UMR 8246, INSERM U1130, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Ziad Fajloun
- Azm Center for Research in Biotechnology and Its Application, Lebanese University, Tripoli, Lebanon
| | - Michel Ronjat
- L'institut du Thorax, INSERM UMR1087/CNRS UMR6291, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France.,LabEx Ion Channels Science and Therapeutics, Nice, France
| | - Juan L Brusés
- Department of Natural Sciences, Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry, NY, USA
| | - Ridha M'rad
- Université de Tunis El Manar, Faculté de Médecine de Tunis, LR99ES10 Laboratoire de Génétique Humaine, 1007, Tunis, Tunisie.,Service des Maladies Congénitales et Héréditaires, Hôpital Charles Nicolle, Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Michel De Waard
- L'institut du Thorax, INSERM UMR1087/CNRS UMR6291, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France.,LabEx Ion Channels Science and Therapeutics, Nice, France
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