View clinical trials related to Autistic Disorder.
Filter by:The schizophrenic disorders and pervasive developmental disorders are neurodevelopmental disorders distinct origin who share common challenges to engage and maintain social relationships and mutual disturbances of affective contact. An important issue of research is to determine the cognitive and brain mechanisms underlying social disability in these two pathologies. Several lines of social cognition have been systematically explored: the perception of emotions, the ability to attribute intentionality and mental states to others (theory of mind), the understanding of social situations in different contexts. We made the observation today that research findings clearly in the field of autism and schizophrenic disorders that converge on common patterns neurocognitive abnormalities. Consequently, many programs support published today use the same therapeutic targets and the same tools in both pathologies. This raises two questions of science: (1) whether the disorders of social cognition reported in the field of autism and schizophrenia are "specific deficit" and not "specific condition", that is to say they are inherent social disadvantage whatever condition or (2) if these disorders of social cognition is a pattern common to autism and schizophrenia but are the result of specific neurocognitive mechanisms and different in each these pathologies. Systematic exploration of these issues is a current issue for understanding the pathophysiological borders between the two neurodevelopmental disorders but also to better define the potential targets of therapeutic strategies, psycho-educational and remediation of disorders of social cognition in autism and schizophrenia. Main objective: To compare clinical cognitive profiles in adolescents with a schizophrenic disorder, autistic or healthy in the three areas of social cognition: perception of emotions, attribution of intentions to others (theory of mind) and style attribution. We shall constitute three population groups of patients, a group of patients meeting the diagnosis of schizophrenia, a group of patients with autism and a control group (healthy subjects).
Through funding from the U.S. Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Teaching Research Institute at Western Oregon University (WOU) will be conducting research on the effect of a parent-delivered massage program on measures of autism and general development in young children with autism. Families will participate in an initial training, and receive 24 sessions of ongoing support and training from a trained therapist over the first nine months.
Based on the need to characterize and improve early intervention services for minority and under-resourced children with ASD, this study translates a manualized and proven training model to examine its impact on the use of evidence-based practices (EBP) by early intervention providers, and to examine its relationship to child and family outcomes. By highlighting the impact of EBP-focused training on participating providers, children, and families, findings of the proposed study have the potential to effect significant change in the organization and delivery of early intervention services for minority and under-resourced children with ASD.
This multi-center, randomized, double-blind, parallel group, placebo-controlled, proof of concept study will investigate the efficacy and safety of RG7314 in adult participants with ASD. In Stage I of the study, participants will be randomized in 2:1 to receive daily oral doses of 1.5 milligrams (mg) RG7314 or placebo for 12 weeks. After an independent safety review, the study may proceed to Stage II. In Stage II of the study, additional participants will be randomized in 2:1 to receive daily oral doses of 4 mg RG7314 or placebo for 12 weeks. After an independent safety review, Stage III will be started wherein additional participants will be randomized in 2:1 to receive daily oral doses of 10 mg RG7314 or placebo for 12 weeks. During Stage III, safety will be reviewed by independent safety review twice and if no safety signal is observed, then additional participants will be randomized in 1:1:1 either to receive 1.5 milligrams per day (mg/day) or 10 mg/day RG7314 orally or placebo for 12 weeks in Stage IV.
There is substantial evidence from animal model and healthy control data, that oxytocin is involved in the modulation of social cognition. In addition, recent genetics and plasma level studies suggest a possible role for oxytocin in the pathophysiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). As a large number of children with ASD are transitioning into adulthood and will likely require treatment, the lack of data to make meaningful treatment recommendations to facilitate adult living is an urgent issue. This study will examine the effect of intranasal oxytocin (IN-OXT) on social function in adults with ASD. It is hypothesized that IN-OXT will be superior to placebo in improving social function by the end of study treatment.
The febrile hypothesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) stems from the observation that clinical symptoms improve during fever. This fever induced amelioration of symptoms could be due to one of three possible causes, (1) the direct effect of temperature; (2) a resulting change in the immune inflammatory system function associated with the infection or fever; and/or (3) and increase in the functionality of a previously dysfunctional Locus Coeruleus-Noradrenerigic (LC-NA) system. Little has been done to explore the potential direct effect an increased body temperature may have on autism symptomology. Parental reports have demonstrated that during febrile episodes children with ASD have improved social cognition and language skills, and decreased disruptive behaviors. In order to further explore the direct temperature effect, further investigation is needed, which the investigators propose below. The investigators propose to complete a one year double blind crossover study with 15 children with ASD between the ages of 5 and 17 years old. Five children with ASD will complete a control protocol prior to beginning the full protocol with 10 additional ASD children. This will allow for any needed amendment of protocol parameters prior to completion of the full protocol.
The study is a randomized controlled trial to examine the efficacy of individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) relative to a standard community treatment, in youngsters with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The individual CBT program has been tailored over the last five years to the clinical needs of high-functioning youth with ASD.
Melatonin is a neurohormone produced from serotonin which promotes sleep. The alterations in central and peripheral serotonin neurobiology and in circadian sleep-wake rhythms observed in autistic disorder suggest abnormalities in melatonin secretion. Several studies have reported a decrease in melatonin secretion in individuals with autism. Furthermore, nocturnal excretion of 6-Sulphatoxymelatonin (the predominant melatonin metabolite) was significantly negatively correlated with severity of autistic impairments in verbal communication and play. Melatonin could therefore have a therapeutic effect on sleep problems and may play a role in the pathophysiology of autistic disorder. These data highlight the possible therapeutic interest of an oral administration of melatonin in patients with autistic disorder. Thus, the objective of this clinical trial is to study the relation between the melatonin dose administered and its effect on severity of autistic impairments especially in verbal communication and play.
The proposed study will result in a software application compatible with the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch (hereafter termed "iOS devices") which addresses several aspects of prosodic deficits common in speakers with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and other communication disorders, using a developmentally appropriate, intuitive interface that requires little technical skill and which can be managed by educators and parents. The program will contain elements that aid in tracking and maintaining individual student progress records, and will be designed for use in the classroom, at home, and in other environments. This study's intended focus is on the feasibility and usability of the software application.
Neurophysiological, Molecular and Developmental Analysis of the glutamate synapse in Autism