Stanford Clinical Trials
Vasopressin Trial at Stanford
Examines effectiveness of vasopressin, a neuropeptide, in treating children with ASD.
Eligible: ASD 6 to 17 years old. The study will last eight weeks for each participant. Participants will receive either vasopressin or a placebo nasal spray. At the end of this phase of the study, those who received the placebo for the full eight weeks will have the option of participating in a four-week trial during which they will be given vasopressin.
More information: Visit https://clinicaltrials.stanford.edu
or contact Kathy Leung at (650) 736-1235 and [email protected]
Pregnenolone Trial at Stanford
Sponsoring institution: Simons Foundation
Eligible Participants: Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder ages 14-25 years
About the Study: Medication treatments for core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) continue to be unmet medical needs. The only medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of individuals with ASD are effective in treating irritability and associated aggressive behaviors, but these medications can also cause severe long-term side effects such as diabetes and involuntary motor movements. Therefore, effective medications with more tolerable side effect profiles are highly desirable. This profile is consistent with pregnenolone (PREG).
PREG belongs to a new class of hormones known as neurosteroids, which have been shown to be effective in treating various psychiatric conditions including bipolar depression and schizophrenia. As compared to currently FDA-approved medications, our preliminary data suggested that PREG may represent a potentially effective and well-tolerated agent for treating irritability in individuals with ASD. In addition, our experience suggests that PREG might be helpful in improving selected core symptoms such as social deficits and sensory abnormalities of ASD.
This study provides the opportunity to further explore the usefulness of PREG in the treatment of irritability and some core symptoms of ASD. We are performing a 14-week randomized double-blind controlled pilot trial to examine the effectiveness of orally administered PREG in reducing irritability and associated behaviors in adolescents with ASD. In this study, we also aim to examine the usefulness of biomarkers (blood levels of neurosteroids, eyetracking and brain wave recording) in predicting treatment response and assessing biologic changes with PREG treatment.
For More Information: Visit their site, or contact Robin Libove at (650) 736-1235 and [email protected]
The Big Picture Survey
We are currently seeking parents of children between the ages of 2-17 to complete a short 15 question survey about their child’s day-to-day behavior. This should take about 5-10 minutes of your time.
The Wall Lab at Stanford University is utilizing machine learning to improve the detection of developmental delays. Our methods show promise for earlier and more efficient identification of these disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). By participating in this survey, you will help in the validation of these novel screening methods that have the potential to greatly improve the diagnostic process for many parents with developmental concerns about their children. Begin survey here.