title: Naltrexone open trial with a 5-year-old-boy. A social rebound reaction.
abstract: The neurobiological rationale for an opiate antagonist pharmacotherapy of autism is presented. Naltrexone efficacy in decreasing autistic behaviour and in increasing social-affiliative behaviour was explored in a 5-year-old autistic boy. Naltrexone (0.5 mg/kg 3 times peer week) was effective in immediately decreasing gross motor activity and stereotyped behaviour and caused a delayed increase of crying, smiling and rough-and-tumble play. This single case presents preliminary evidence that a therapeutically valuable rebound reaction is possible and that the human opioid system modulates social-affective processes. The possibility of psychological factors being instrumental in achieving this effect is discussed as being suitable for future clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: School Psychology of Upper Austria, Linz.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lensing
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klingler
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lampl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leboyer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bouvard
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Plumet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Panksepp
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012919:Social Behavior
chemical_list: D009271:Naltrexone