Alzheimer's drug might also help kids with autism

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-10-02 01:00

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In a small study, US researchers say the Alzheimer's drug memantine could significantly improve social impairment in youths with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The researchers recruited 42 youths with ASD, aged 8 to 17 years, and provided half of them with memantine, while the other half received a placebo. Over the 12-week program, the team found those who were taking the drug showed significant improvements in their ability to communicate, interact, and engage with others in social situations, and this was especially effective for the kids who had abnormally high glutamate levels in an area of their brains called the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex. An attached editorial author suggests that previous, similar tests with memantine did not provide as promising results, and suggests that larger studies on the drug be performed before hailing it as a super-effective treatment for ASD.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Psychiatry

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Alan and Lorraine Bressler Clinical and Research Program for Autism Spectrum Disorder, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA

Funder: This work was funded by award K23MH100450 (Dr Joshi) from the NIMH. Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Joshi reported receiving speaker honoraria from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Physician Institute, the Asian College of Neuropsychopharmacology, the Kennedy Krieger Institute, the Neuroimmune Institute, New York University, Optum Health Education, and the Regional Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry of Eastern Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey outside the submitted work. In addition, Dr Joshi reported receiving research support from Genentech, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, and the Demarest Lloyd Jr Foundation; providing consulting services (unpaid) to EuMentis Therapeutics; receiving royalties from Mass General Brigham Innovation for a licensed method for treating autism spectrum disorder; and having a patent pending (PCT/US2022/014878 formethods for treating autism spectrum disorder) outside the submitted work. Dr Faraone reported receiving consulting fees from Mentavi/ADHD, Axsome, Ironshore/Collegium, KemPharm/Corium, Noven, and Supernus; honoraria and personal fees for travel and accommodation expenses from Sandoz and Tris; royalties from Elsevier, Guilford Press, and Oxford University Press; and personal fees for travel and accommodation expenses from Medice outside the submitted work. In addition, Dr Faraone reported receiving grants from Mass General Hospital, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), Supernus Pharmaceuticals, the European Commission, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Aging, the National Incident Management System, Noven, and the Upstate Foundation outside the submitted work. Dr Ceranoglu reported receiving grants from the Gerstener Family Foundation, the Brain Foundation, and the O’Sullivan Foundation as well as nonfinancial support from Niraxx Inc and the Autism Research Institute outside the submitted work. Dr Uchida reported receiving royalties for patents with Magazine House, Bunshun Shinsho, Jitsugyo no Nihonsha, Daiwa Shobo, and Kadokawa outside the submitted work. In addition, Dr Uchida reported providing consulting services to Guidepoint and Atheneum outside the submitted work. Dr McDougle reported receiving consulting fees from Acadia Pharmaceuticals and royalties from Oxford University Press and Springer Publishing outside the submitted work. DrWozniak reported receiving grants from the Baszucki Brain Research Foundation and OHSU outside the submitted work. In addition, DrWozniak reported the following relationships for their spouse: consulting and advising for Idorsia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Azurity Pharmaceuticals Inc, Blackstone Life Sciences Advisors LLC, Covington & Burling LLP, Disc Medicine, Haleon PLC, Noctrix Health, PsychoGenics Inc, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, TaylorWessing LLP, Cozen O’Connor, Fox Rothschild LLP, and Sterne Kessler Goldstein & Fox; editing, authoring, and publishing for UpToDate (Wolters Kluwer Health Inc); receiving research support from Baszucki, Merck & Co Inc, and the RLS Foundation; providing clinical or direct medical services to Teladoc Health Inc; and providing expert testimony for the International Law Firm of Winston & Strawn LLP. No other disclosures were reported.

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