Abstract
ABSTRACTObjective: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairment in social communication and interaction, and restricted, stereotypic, repetitive behaviors. Behavioral problems are common in children with ASD. Herein, we report the effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment on repetitive behaviors in 10 children with ASD.Methods: Ten children with ASD were assessed using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale and Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC). The clinical follow-up was performed with ABC and Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement (CGI-I). A total of 10 patients were initiated on NAC therapy in addition to their treatment with a stable dose of risperidone to avoid the potential adverse effects of higher doses of risperidone. Two patients discontinued NAC treatment before the third week. Eight patients were treated with an NAC dosage of 1200–2700 mg/day for 6–10 weeks.Results: The mean age of the patients was 8.6 years. Patients received NAC treatment for a mea...
Highlights
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairment in social communication and interaction, and restricted, stereotypic, repetitive behaviors [1]
Ten children who were referred to Zonguldak Kadın Doğum ve Çocuk Hastalıkları Hastanesi, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry between 5 March 2015 and 15 October 2015, who were diagnosed as having ASD and received NAC in addition to their routine risperidone treatment were included in this study
Behavioral problems and stereotyped behaviors are common in patients with ASD and usually cause further functional impairment
Summary
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairment in social communication and interaction, and restricted, stereotypic, repetitive behaviors [1]. Intellectual disability, irritability, aggressive behaviors, self-mutilation, emotional dysregulation, hyperactivity, and other comorbid psychiatric disorders are common in addition to the core symptoms of ASD [2]. A number of studies have shown mild-to-good efficacy and safety of these medications in patients with ASD. Risperidone and aripiprazole have been shown to be effective for the treatment of behavioral problems such as irritability, aggression, and repetitive behaviors in patients with ASD [9,10]. A number of adverse effects including sedation, agitation, social withdrawal, emotional adverse effects, weight gain, extrapyramidal adverse effects, endocrine problems, metabolic syndrome, and longterm adverse effect tardive dyskinesia limit the use of these medications [6,11]. The adverse effect profile of neuroleptic drugs brings the need for new treatment options for ASD-related behavioral problems
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