Oxytocin May Become a Treatment Option for Autism
Dr. Anagnostou and her colleagues at Mount Sinai, including group leader Eric Hollander, have been administering oxytocin intravenously and by a nasal mist to adults with autism spectrum disorders.In addition to studying potential positive outcomes of this treatment, of course researchers will need to look at potential harms and side effects. And as treatments for autism emerge, it will become increasingly important to consider how they actually impact they way people think and perceive.While the studies have been limited to a small number of people, she said those who received the hormone improved in their ability to identify emotions as described in writing to them and also reduced characteristic autistic repetitive behaviors. They maintained these observed improvements two weeks after exposure to oxytocin.
Brain imaging, Anagnostou said, also showed improvement in regions of the brain known to be involved in autism. The findings are very early, she said, but they may point to a possible new treatment for the disorder.
"It's promising, but we still need to do more study of this," Anagnostou said.
There seems to be a knife-edge line between improving quality of life and breadth of opportunity - and simply "normalizing" for its own sake. How do we know when a treatment for autism is simply lessening pain and increasing ability - and how can we tell when the same treatment is also changing perceptions, thought patterns and personality? Is there a difference? There is certainly room for many, many opinions as biomedical treatments become increasingly available, and increasingly potent.
Comments
I think this is wonderful, and hope it will become available soon. Humans are social animals, and I think it’s a definite handicap to be deficit in understanding and relating to other’s emotions. It’s one of the reason people with autism have trouble getting and maintaining friends and understanding the world around them. There is only good to be gained from improving in this area.
Caring for and understanding others — social intelligence — is extremely important and is one of the best things about life.
“simply lessening pain”??? I can’t believe I read that. I would be thrilled if the pain my sons go through every day could be “simply lessened”! Obviously the author of this has had no dealing with the real life of people with autism.
If the approval of this drug gets slowed down or denied because it “simply lessens pain”, the people involved have great responsibility and shame to bear.
Just for the record, I am the mom of a son diagnosed with PDD-NOS (in his case, high functioning autism). So I do, in fact, deal with the real life of people with autism - every day. It’s important to note, however, that because autism is a spectrum disorder, there are vast differences among people with similar diagnoses. Unlike many people with autism, our son is verbal and engaged - though he absolutely has difficulties and challenges that will be with him through his life.
Also want to clarify that my point is that it would be TERRIFIC if oxytocin really DOES lessen the pain and difficulties that people with autism experience - and if in fact it proves to be effective, I would certainly expect it to be approved. I do get concerned, however, about the possibility of pharmaceutical treatments having negative, unexpected side effects.
Lisa
I gotta say this surprised the heck out of me. The last thing I read about oxytocin was a hypothesis that it might *cause* autism (eg when oxytocin is used intravenously to stimulate labor). The research on this hypothesis only involves animals at this point, as far as I know.
Source: Med Hypotheses. 2004 ;63 (3):456-60 15288368
“Could oxytocin administration during labor contribute to autism and related behavioral disorders?–A look at the literature.” by Roy U Rojas Wahl
As a father to a boy with ASD and a self-diagnosed Aspie, I’m very interested in this. I understand it has only been used with adults at this point, and would be happy to hear more as it becomes available.
If there are no major pitfalls, how long before this could become a regular treatment?
I don’t consider improving deficit areas to be “normalizing.” I consider it to be relieving a symptom.
This has real world implications in the ability to get on with co-workers, developing friendships, meeting potential loves, judging the veracity of used card dealers, I can go on.
Hi- I don’t know if any of you good people will read this, but my daughter with aperger’s has been taking oxytocin for awhile now. We love it, and so does she. It helps her have less social fear, and her understanding of social subtleties has improved. My self diagnosed Aspie husband got his own perscription, and it has improved our marriage. He understands what I am feeling now, with out me having to explain it. It is a miracle. We get ours through Dr. Bradstreet in Florida. If you have questions for me, please go to the contact page on my website: www.woggle-bug.com and I will get back to you! God Bless.
I find it highly annoying that Jenny McCarthy has just gotten word her kid has autism and suddenly she’s an expert?! How arrogant!
What will best serve her son will be her focus on the best schools, IEP’S, ARD’S, speech therapy, sensory intergration therapy, auditory training therapy, behavior mod, and researching on her own the best possible Dr’s and psychs for her sons health. You have to spend time dealing with all of that and trying to keep up with daily haps at school with your child( and work too if u have a real job ) u dont have much time to do anything else. I think her heads in la la land and her time will better serve her focusing on her child and not herself. Seriously, her son is only 5 ?
My son is 27, I have been thru hell, its not a picnic dealing with autism but I can tell you at 5, I was still in learning & healing process and dealing with my shock and my own emotions of the diagnosis. I was too busy to write a book and no time to dwell in fantasy land of indgo kids and crystals ?
Shes is in denial! Believing in when you wish upon a star isnt going to change her son’s reality one bit.I dont want to hear her crap about her so called expertise on autism when Ive been doing this for 27 years. There are no magic bullets, what works for some doesn’t work for others. All kids are different and with different levels of autism! It’s trial and error. I used to hit all the autism workshops etc, then I realized I was spinning my wheels & wasting precious time! I needed to focus on what my son needed and stay away from all the hoopla! It didnt change a thing! Mostly people just wanting to sell u something and hear themselves go on and on about what they think they know which didnt change our circumstances one bit! Living with autism isnt easy , its a daily challange. I love my son much and over time with a lot of therapy and interventions, he’s come a long way! I can officially say that cause hes 27! Not 5 yrs old! I kept my feet on the ground & my head in reality!
I wouldnt try anything unless its been tested first and long term affects released!
i think jane speaks the clearest about what a person and his family is in for when afflicted with autism. recovery is a long process. it’s taking us 13 years. our son is 15 and we still need to provide an environment that is conducive to language and social cognition. he’s pretty good but not out of the woods. we still need help from the school system as it is his greatest avenue for all types of learning. it takes years to improve and the social aspect is the most difficult to overcome. even if language is present. but for a disorder that has the most devastating and lasting affects on each individual there is today, at least, hope of great improvements. behavior modification therapy and lots of programs the immerse these kids in language and socialization for at least 10 years seems to be it right now.
stephanie
I am a stay at home Mom, my 6 year old son Patrick has Autism. I have Bi-Polar Depression, and my mother has Alzhimers.I welcome any one who has advice or coping skills that can help me get threw,sometimes just the day. I don’t use the computer very often, nor very well. My husband works very hard, I’m not living up to my end of our agreement. my older son Andrew,9 has chores and its my job to enforce them. My dishwasher died a couple months ago, and due to very sensative skin I have a bad rash on both hands all the way past both wrists. I’m reacting to the gloves.I have not been cooking alot, a real problem with my husband. I feel so alone.