Study shows half of patients had a reduction in repetitive behaviors. in a recently published study of adults with autism, half of those taking Prozac (fluoxetine) knowledgeable a significant reduce in repetitive behaviors.
early studies by the very same researchers showed that the antidepressant to be efficient in lowering repetitive behaviors in young children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), though a study by yet another investigation team failed to show an effect with the antidepressant Celexa (citalopram).
Prozac and Celexa are selective inhibitors of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
The latest study shows that remedy with an SSRI could have a positive impact on repetitive and compulsive behavior in adults with autism, as can be in kids, says study researcher Eric Hollander, MD, Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, New York
“This drug improves one of the core symptoms of autism in adults, and this can make a massive difference in their lives and lives of their households, “he tells WebMD.
remedy of repetitive behaviors
inflexible routines or rituals, and repetitive movements such as rocking or hand wringing, are frequently observed in young children and adults with autism.
antidepressants, specially SSRIs, are sometimes employed in the remedy of adults with autism. However, there have been extensively studied and their impact on repetitive behaviors had not been studied at all.
The 12-week study by Hollander and colleagues included 37 adults with autism repetitive behavior symptoms of taking Prozac or a placebo.
Prozac dose is gradually elevated, as tolerated, from ten milligrams to 80 milligrams a day. Repetitive behaviors were assessed utilizing widely accepted measures. On 1 of these measures, 50% of study participants who took Prozac showed substantial improvement in symptoms repeated at week 12 compared with 8% of patients in the placebo group. The study appears on the web on December two The American Journal of Psychiatry .
treating the core symptoms of autism drug
“There are a lot of distress and functional impairment associated with narrow interests and restrictive practices,” he says. “The deviation from routine can trigger extreme agitation and explosions that can do points like go to a restaurant or travel by public transport challenging.”
schizophrenia drug Risperdal (risperidone) is approved for the remedy of irritability and agitation in children and adolescents with autism. Autism researcher Fred Volkmar, MD, says the drug also appears to improve repetitive behaviors and other core symptoms in numerous patients.Volkmar
directs the Child Study Center, Yale University, where he is also professor of psychiatry.
“The question remains:” Is it far better than fluoxetine risperidone for this symptom? ‘”He tells WebMD.” It would be intriguing to see studies directly comparing these two drugs to the head. “
