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
Transcranial direct current stimulation tDCS – a novel treatment for autism?
One of the treatment modalities that has shown the greatest promise for reducing symptoms of autism in recent years is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The most recent study confirmed and expanded on the findings of previous investigations, which strongly indicate that tDCS could have positive effects on cognition, behaviour and physical health, and improve quality of life and autonomy for a large percentage of individuals with autism.
Cannabis for Treating Core and Comorbid Autism Symptoms – Where are we at?
Several studies published in recent months investigated the effects of cannabis-based products for treating autism. Although the studies were open-label and relatively small in scale, the overall results were overwhelmingly positive, with statistically significant improvements in social communication, language, restrictive/repetitive and challenging behaviours.
Century-old drug offers new hope for autism treatment
A small double-blind, placebo-controlled trial shows dramatic effects of suramin as a treatment for autism. Improvements were seen in all three core features of autism: language, social interactions, and restricted or repetitive behaviours across multiple diagnostics in multiple tests in all who received the active treatments, absent in the placebo arm
Higher rates of autism in children with various congenital disorders
Children with Congenital Heart Disease, Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Neurofibromatosis Type 1 suffer high rates of autism. Everolimus, an mTOR inhibitor with strong neuro-inflammation attenuating effects, reduces core autism symptoms in some children with TSC, epilepsy and autism…
Autism should be approached as a chronic health condition, scientists recommend
Numerous medical conditions are significantly more prevalent in children and adults with autism, including allergy and/or immunologic, musculoskeletal, neurologic, psychiatric and gastrointestinal conditions. Early childhood health problems can be used to spot children at high risk of autism…
Diuretic drug improves core autism symptoms
Double-blind randomized multicenter trial finds bumetanide ameliorates core symptoms of autism.A medical drug normally used to relieve fluid retention has been repurposed as a treatment for the core symptoms of autism. Following on from the promising results of their...
ACTH therapy benefits stuttering and autism
Adrenocorticotropic hormone therapy in patients with nighttime subclinical seizure activity improves their stuttering and autism symptoms ACTH therapy improves core symptoms of autism alongside EEG parameters and sublinical seizures. In a retrospective study a total...
Perinatal risk factors and pregnancy complication associated with autism
Babies who are exposed to perinatal complicatios incl. asphyxia, preeclampsia, and meconium-stained amniotic fluid, are at increased risk of developing autism. The risk is especially high for babies exposed to complications both before and during birth.
Latest findings confirm pathological role of the immune system and inflammation in autism
Accumulating evidence suggests an association between immune dysfunction and pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders in a large number of affected individuals. Findings from diverse fields of science and experimental animal studies point to close interconnectedness of the immune and the nervous systems