CC BY
939th multidisciplinary international
Conference of Biological Psychiatry
«Stress and Behavior»
Proceedings of the 9th International Multidisciplinary Conference «Stress and behavior» Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 16-19 May 2005 Editor: Allan V. Kalueff, PhD
CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS 1. PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY
GLIATILIN IN CHILDHOOD AUTISM TREATMENT
M.G. Krasnoperova, V.M. Bashina Mental Health Research Center RAMS, Moscow, Russia
Childhood autism (CA) is not only a behavioral disorder. Mental developmental delay and cognitive dysfunction are usually diagnosed in CA patients. Patients who receive only neuroleptic therapy generally do not demonstrate significant improvement of cognitive functions. Therefore it is important to include neuroprotective and neurotrophic medicines in CA treatment. It was recently revealed in different studies that there are prefrontal lobe, media temporal and hyppocampal dysfunctions in CA. There is a great role of cholinergic system in the functioning of these brain areas. It is well-known that medicines with cholinomimetic activity enhance cognitive functions. Clinical investigations showed that Gliatilin (choline alfoscerate, a medicine with cholinomimetic and neuroprotective activities) improves cognitive functions (concentration, memory, thinking, etc.) and behavioral reactions in organic impairments of central nervous system. In CA therapy Gliatilin was not used previously. The objective of our study was to determine indications for Gliatilin in CA and to evaluate therapeutic effects of a 8-week course of Gliatilin in CA.
Materials and methods. 20 children with childhood autism aged 3—8 years (mean: 6 years; 16 boys, 4 girls) were treated with gliatilin, 400 mg/day,during 8 weeks in outpatient clinic. 17 patients also received basis neuroleptic therapy with aethaperazinum, sulpiride, levomepromazine. The autism severity was evaluated before the study by Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). There were 10 patients with mild autism (30—33 scores), 3 — with moderate (33.5—36.5), 7 — with moderate/severe autism (37—43 scores). The patients were assessed twice: before (0 day) and after the therapeutic course (56th day) by clinical and psychometric tests (Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and original Scale of positive and negative symptoms for preschool children (PANS-PrCh), developed by authors.
Results. Positive effect on CGI scale was observed at the end of therapeutic course in 89% of the patients: significant improvement — in 61% and minimal efficacy — in 28%. 11% patients did not demonstrate any changes in their clinical state. Statistically significant positive changes in the patients' state were observed in the general improvement of behavior (p < 0.001), development of social and communicative skills, as well as self-service, reduction of marked speech disturbances (p < 0.001) and motor sphere dysfunction (p < 0.001), enhancement of learning activity and productivity (p < 0.05). Also improvement was seen in concentration, imitation, social play activity, speech understanding, thinking, emotional response. Good tolerability to the therapy without patient's state worsening was registered. Some patients exhibited strengthening of affective lability during the first 2—3 weeks of the treatment which attenuated to the 4th week as the Gliatilin dosages decreased to 400 mg every other day.
Conclusion. Overall, gliatilin may be recommended for combined therapy with neuroleptics as an effective and safe medicine for the treatment of cognitive and behavioral disorders in patients with childhood autism.
Psychopharmacol. Biol. Narcol. 2005. Vol. 5, N 2. P. 887-888
Psyhopharmacology & biological narcology
ISSN 1606-8181
