The Role of the Noradrenergic System in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Implications for Treatment.

ABSTRACT: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is frequently associated with anxiety and hyperarousal. While the pathological changes in the noradrenergic system in ASD are not entirely clear, a number of functional indices of the sympathetic/parasympathetic balance are altered in individuals with ASD, often with a high degree of inter-individual variability. The neuropsychopharmacological effects of α₂ agonists and β-adrenergic antagonists make agents targeting these receptors of particular interest. α₂ agonists have shown beneficial effects for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and in other domains in individuals with ASD, but effects on core ASD symptoms are less clear. Case series and single dose psychopharmacological challenges suggest that treatment with β-adrener

SUBMITTER: Beversdorf DQ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7477304 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature