Secretin treatment for autistic disorder: a critical analysis.
We assessed evidence of the effects of secretin on behavior in individuals with autistic disorder. Articles were obtained through a MEDLINE search of the English-language literature from January 1966-November 2001; all investigations and case reports on the topic were included. Press releases obtained from the World Wide Web also were included. Secretin, a gastrointestinal hormone, is suggested to improve autistic symptoms, particularly social function and communication. Two formulations, porcine and synthetic human secretin, were evaluated in humans. A small body of literature and popular belief in autistic disorder communities supported the agent's efficacy. A number of controlled clinical trials did not show improvement in autistic symptoms with secretin compared with placebo, possibly indicating no role for the drug in autistic disorder.
Patel
Nick C
NC
College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin State Hospital, Texas Department of Mental Health and Retardation, 78712, USA.
Yeh
Jun Y
JY
Shepherd
Marvin D
MD
Crismon
M Lynn
ML
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012633:Secretin / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D012633:Secretin