Are there new advances in the pharmacotherapy of autism spectrum disorders?

Hollander, Eric; Uzunova, Genoveva

doi:10.1002/wps.20398

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 10 publications

(10 reference statements)

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“…Taken together, these different results on NGI and GI groups of children suggest that the effects of probiotic supplementation in ASD children may be due to distinct mechanisms. The well-known neurobiological heterogeneity of ASD implies that each medication is likely to benefit only a subset within the spectrum of affected children, as suggested by results of pharmacological trials in this population ( 49 , 50 ). The described positive effect on both GI and NGI children paves the way for the identification of those ASD subjects who can respond to probiotic supplementation beyond the presence of GI symptoms, and even beyond GI inflammatory status.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Gastrointestinal, Sensory and Core Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial

et al. 2020

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The microbiota-gut-brain axis has been recently recognized as a key modulator of neuropsychiatric health. In this framework, probiotics (recently named "psychobiotics") may modulate brain activity and function, possibly improving the behavioral profiles of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We evaluated the effects of probiotics on autism in a double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 85 preschoolers with ASD (mean age, 4.2 years; 84% boys). Participants were randomly assigned to probiotics (De Simone Formulation) (n=42) or placebo (n=43) for six months. Sixty-three (74%) children completed the trial. No differences between groups were detected on the primary outcome measure, the Total Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Calibrated Severity Score (ADOS-CSS). An exploratory secondary analysis on subgroups of children with or without Gastrointestinal Symptoms (GI group, n= 30; NGI group, n=55) revealed in the NGI group treated with probiotics a significant decline in ADOS scores as compared to that in the placebo group, with a mean reduction of 0.81 in Total ADOS CSS and of 1.14 in Social-Affect ADOS CSS over six months. In the GI group treated with probiotics we found greater improvements in some GI symptoms, adaptive functioning, and sensory profiles than in the GI group treated with placebo. These results suggest potentially positive effects of probiotics on core autism symptoms in a subset of ASD children independent of the specific intermediation of the probiotic effect on GI symptoms. Further studies are warranted to replicate and extend these promising findings on a wider population with subsets of ASD patients which share targets of intervention on the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Gastrointestinal, Sensory and Core Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial

et al. 2020

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“…Moreover, considering the heterogeneity of ASD and that medications are specific for specific ASD subgroups only, as suggested by results of pharmacological trials in this population [ 67 , 68 ], none of the studies examining probiotics and/or prebiotics select the participants based on their intestinal microbiota—limiting possible positive results.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interventions on Microbiota: Where Do We Stand on a Gut–Brain Link in Autism? A Systematic Review

et al. 2022

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The alteration of the microbiota–gut–brain axis has been recently recognized as a critical modulator of neuropsychiatric health and a possible factor in the etiopathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This systematic review offers practitioners an overview of the potential therapeutic options to modify dysbiosis, GI symptoms, and ASD severity by modulating the microbiota–gut–brain axis in ASD, taking into consideration limits and benefits from current findings. Comprehensive searches of PubMed, Scopus, the Web of Science Core Collection, and EMBASE were performed from 2000 to 2021, crossing terms referred to ASD and treatments acting on the microbiota–gut–brain axis. A total of 1769 publications were identified, of which 19 articles met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted independently by two reviewers using a preconstructed form. Despite the encouraging findings, considering the variability of the treatments, the samples size, the duration of treatment, and the tools used to evaluate the outcome of the examined trials, these results are still partial. They do not allow to establish a conclusive beneficial effect of probiotics and other interventions on the symptoms of ASD. In particular, the optimal species, subspecies, and dosages have yet to be identified. Considering the heterogeneity of ASD, double-blind, randomized, controlled trials and treatment tailored to ASD characteristics and host-microbiota are recommended.

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“…Several drugs that target mGluRs are used to restore the excitation and inhibition balance in brain cortical regions. These include mGlu5 antagonists (fenobam), AMPA receptors (ampakines), and NMDA receptor inhibitors such as memantine, amantadine, and acamprosate [112,145]. Glu5 antagonists improve the social and stereotypic behaviors in rodent models of ASD [146].…”

Section: Glucest Imagingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetics of glutamate and its receptors in autism spectrum disorder

et al. 2022

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Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental impairment characterized by deficits in social interaction skills, impaired communication, and repetitive and restricted behaviors that are thought to be due to altered neurotransmission processes. The amino acid glutamate is an essential excitatory neurotransmitter in the human brain that regulates cognitive functions such as learning and memory, which are usually impaired in ASD. Over the last several years, increasing evidence from genetics, neuroimaging, protein expression, and animal model studies supporting the notion of altered glutamate metabolism has heightened the interest in evaluating glutamatergic dysfunction in ASD. Numerous pharmacological, behavioral, and imaging studies have demonstrated the imbalance in excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, thus revealing the involvement of the glutamatergic system in ASD pathology. Here, we review the effects of genetic alterations on glutamate and its receptors in ASD and the role of non-invasive imaging modalities in detecting these changes. We also highlight the potential therapeutic targets associated with impaired glutamatergic pathways.

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Are there new advances in the pharmacotherapy of autism spectrum disorders?

Cited by 9 publications

References 10 publications

Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Gastrointestinal, Sensory and Core Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Gastrointestinal, Sensory and Core Symptoms in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Interventions on Microbiota: Where Do We Stand on a Gut–Brain Link in Autism? A Systematic Review

Genetics of glutamate and its receptors in autism spectrum disorder

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