Canadian Prescription Drugs Set to Ease Autism’s Recurring Behaviors

Jan 3
09:12

2012

Remcel Mae P. Canete

Remcel Mae P. Canete

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The Canadian drug Prozac may aid rhythmic actions in a number of individuals with autism.

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The Canadian drug Prozac may aid rhythmic actions in a number of individuals with autism. 

"What is unique about this study is that there have been very few studies on adults with autism - most of the work has been done on children," said Dr. Eric Hollander,Canadian Prescription Drugs Set to Ease Autism’s Recurring Behaviors Articles a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and director of the Autism and Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Program at Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. "The second important point is that we stratified the population. We wanted to get people who had a lot of repetitive behaviors and had a lot of room for improvement." 

"Several prior trials have tried to determine it selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Prozac could help alleviate repetitive behavior, but those have largely been done in children," said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York. 

"This is a nicely designed study that showed fluoxetine to be helpful in reducing repetitive behaviors in adults with autism," Adesman said. 

"In adults, a prior study found another antidepressant, Luvox (fluvoxamine), also may have benefited some adults with autism," Adesman added.  Hence, to buy Luvox is recommended. 

"It's important to keep in mind that SSRIs may behave differently in adults than in children, and that not all SSRIs are the same," Hollander noted. 

"Adults with autism have been overlooked. Most of the focus has been on children, but children with autism grow up to be adults with autism," Hollander said. "This is one of the very few studies that shows you can intervene at later ages and get improvement." 

"More needs to be learned about SSRIs and autism," Adesman said. 

"What this study seems to suggest is that maybe not all SSRIs are the same and when it comes to treating symptoms, just as all individuals aren't the same, it may be a matter of identifying which agents to use and which patients will benefit," he said.  Also, it has to be considered on which Canadian pharmacy online to buy the prescribed meds.