Skip to main content

Spectrum: Autism Research News

Tag: clinical trials

October 2021
Photo: A nasal spray bottle sprays upwards.

Intranasal oxytocin ineffective for autism in large trial

by  /  13 October 2021

The hormone is no better than placebo at boosting social behavior in autistic children, according to a new study, but it may still benefit a subset of people with the condition.

Comments
Medicine being drawn out of a vial with a syringe.

Paused Angelman syndrome trial to restart

by  /  7 October 2021

After imposing a pause in November 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared the way for a clinical trial of a gene therapy for Angelman syndrome.

Comments
Closeup photo of a liquid being poured out of a brown bottle.

French pharma firms terminate trials of bumetanide for autism

by  /  1 October 2021

Preliminary results suggested the treatment is no better than placebo at reducing the severity of core autism traits.

Comments
September 2021
Mother and child playing with small colored blocks on the carpet.

Uncertainty clouds test of ‘preemptive’ therapy to ease autism traits

by  /  24 September 2021

Experts question data showing that an experimental therapy that parents deliver to babies with early signs of autism can lessen the intensity of the children’s traits and lower their chances of diagnosis at age 3.

Comments
Many people in different areas on a target.

Finding a path forward for fragile X drugs

by  /  23 September 2021

The stubborn lack of treatments for fragile X syndrome — a leading cause of inherited intellectual disability and autism — is spurring researchers to revise clinical trial techniques and revisit old drug candidates.

Comments
August 2021

Drugs boost serotonin, socialization in multiple autism mouse models

by  /  6 August 2021

The finding that MDMA and an experimental serotonin agonist increase sociability across six different model mice suggests that disparate autism-linked mutations converge on the same underlying pathways.

Comments
July 2021
Illustration of hybrid objects: part light bulb, part lab vial, some in blue and some in red to signify null and replicated results

Null and Noteworthy: Oxytocin, parental training, outcome assessments

by  /  15 July 2021

In this edition of Null and Noteworthy, researchers open the case on acetaminophen and close it on oxytocin.

Comments
June 2021
Brain and marijuana leaves

Q&A with Eric Hollander: Cannabis treatments for autism

by  /  8 June 2021

As cannabis prohibition slowly lifts in the United States, scientists and families in the autism community are increasingly turning to the drug and its constituent compounds to ease autism-related difficulties, including seizures and irritability.

Comments
May 2021
Dr. Elizabeth Berry-Kravis stretching during a run.

Elizabeth Berry-Kravis: Running a marathon for fragile X syndrome

by  /  26 May 2021

Elizabeth Berry-Kravis has spent decades uncovering molecular clues to fragile X syndrome and crafting trials of treatments. Her efforts are paying off.

Comments

New benchmark for autism scale may help gauge therapies

by  /  18 May 2021

Researchers have defined a change in score on a popular autism rating scale that signifies a meaningful improvement in core traits. The measure could help scientists assess the effectiveness of autism treatments in clinical trials.

Comments