Autism Treatments – Clinical Research Trials
Autism Treatments – Clinical Research Trials
Ongoing UK Clinical Trials for Autism – research studies recruiting participants
The following is a list of research trials currently taking place in the UK and actively recruiting study participants. The studies have been designed to investigate the potential of various medications and interventions to help reduce core autism symptoms, and/or difficulties and symptoms frequently experienced by individuals affected by autism such as anxiety, irritability, impulsive, aggressive and self-harming and other challenging behaviours.
Please note that the studies are not run by Thinking Autism. We can not reply to questions about the studies, the treatments themselves, or your or your child’s eligibility to take part in the trials. If you have any questions about the trials or would like your child/ren or yourself to take part in one of the studies please contact the institutions that are running the trials via the links provided.
Please note: the list is not comprehensive. If your organisation is running a trial and recruiting participants who live in the UK please contact us to have it added to the list. In order to qualify for a listing the aims and objectives of the study need to fall under one or both of the following categories: 1. reducing core symptoms of autism 2. addressing underlying or comorbid biomedical disorders that contribute to symptoms and difficulties experienced by individuals with autism.
The list will be updated on an ongoing basis. Please make sure to come back and refresh the page from time to time, or subscribe to our mailing list to be informed of future additions.
New Study To Evaluate Psilocybin’s Therapeutic Potential On Autistic Adults (LONDON)
A new study, led by researchers from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London will explore the potential therapeutic effects of psilocybin on autistic adults.
The study will explore how psilocybin affects specific brain pathways in autistic adults, and is the first ever mechanistic study of psilocybin in autistic adults.
It will investigate whether there is a difference in the function of serotonin brain networks in autistic and non-autistic adults. The researchers will use a range of imaging techniques and behavioural tasks to examine how the serotonin system is modulated by COMP360 psilocybin. It is an investigator-initiated exploratory study that will take place at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King’s College London. The study is co-sponsored by King’s IoPPN and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. It will enrol 70 adult participants, including 40 autistic people and 30 non-autistic people.
Thinking Autism blog – science news & updates
Brain Glucose and Glycogen in Autism: Speech, Seizures, Sleep & Beyond
The following article is written by an autism parent and researcher, who has an interest in both autism and sports sciences. It lays out possible underlying reasons for some of the struggles and symptoms associated with autism. It is not possible to say who might...
Autism and metabolic diseases – more treatable ‘autisms’ hiding in plain sight?
Metabolism is the process through which our bodies convert nutrients from food and drink into energy. We need energy for the basics of life, such as breathing or blood circulation, and so countless metabolic processes take place in our cells and our organs all the...
Aggression In Autism – One Simple Cause
In addition to the core symptoms of autism, which include social communication difficulties, restricted interests, and sensory processing difficulties, both children and adults with autism often present with many other ‘autism-related’ symptoms and behaviours....
Depression in Autism – More Than Meets The Eye?
High rates of depression and suicide in autism Depression is a common and serious problem in autism, and one of the main contributors to poor quality of life. Both children and adults with autism experience high rates of depression and other mood disorders. One...
Autoimmune Encephalitis – A Treatable Form Of ‘Autism’
Autoimmune encephalitis is a class of inflammatory diseases of the brain that can present with a wide spectrum of neurological and psychiatric symptoms. The word autoimmune means that the body, or the person’s immune system, is attacking its own healthy tissues.What...
‘From Bench to Biopharma’ International Conference on Translational Research in Autism – Day 1 Recap
Synchrony symposia, organised by The BRAIN Foundation in partnership with UC Davis MIND Institute and CalTech, is the first and only international conference on translational research in autism that brings together academia, biotech, pharmaceutical companies and...
NEW UK Autism Research Hub: The Synapse Centre for Neurodevelopment ESNEFT
The Synapse Centre for NeurodevelopmentThe Synapse Centre, based within the ESNEFT (East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust) is a new research centre based in the East of England looking to translate biomedical research into practical therapies for local...
Addressing Poor Health & High Death Rates in Autism
“We must first recognise ASD as a whole body disorder” Autism, or Autism Spectrum Disorder ASD, is traditionally seen as the result of behavioural and neuropsychiatric dysfunction. However there is a strong evidence that various physical, or biomedical, problems can...
Synchrony 2019 – Translational Research in Autism symposia
The first Brain Foundation annual symposia, Pleasanton, California 8-10 of Nov 2019, aimed to connect researchers with clinicians, donors & stake holders to help translate research efforts into evidence-based treatments for autism and its co-morbidities. It highlighted the need for multidisciplinary collaboration, detailed diagnostics and personalised treatment…