Minocycline to Treat Childhood Regressive Autism

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2011-04-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

There is a subgroup of children with autism that appears to develop typically for a period of time, and then loses social or language skills, or regresses. A recent study by Vargas and co-workers at Johns Hopkins has demonstrated that this regressive type of autism is associated with chronic brain inflammation as shown by an abnormal production of inflammatory cytokines among other abnormalities.

This present study will test the effectiveness of minocycline, an antibiotic with anti-inflammatory properties, in treating regressive autism. Although behavioral therapies have improved some symptoms of autism, there are no medical treatments for the disorder, and many children have ongoing behavioral difficulties. A medicine with anti-inflammatory properties may be beneficial for children with regressive autism.

This will be an open-label trial, meaning all children in this study will receive minocycline. They will also receive vitamin B6 to reduce the possible chance of side effects of the minocycline.

Children ages 3 to 12 with regressive autism may be eligible for this study. The children will take minocycline and vitamin B6 daily for 6 months. Prior to starting the medication and vitamin B6, children will receive a comprehensive diagnostic assessment for autism as well as a physical examination, medical history, and laboratory tests. Children will then receive ongoing assessments to monitor their behavior, communication, language skills, and medical issues at 2 weeks, and at 1, 2, 4, 6, and 12 months. Children who respond to the treatment will receive an additional 3 months of minocycline and vitamin B6.

• Phase: Phase 4
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• Treatments: Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Minocycline

Criteria

• INCLUSION CRITERIA:

The sample will be children with:

• Diagnosis of idiopathic autism and regression

• Age between 3 and 12 years

• Willingness to undergo lumbar puncture for evaluation of proinflammatory CSF cytokines

• Stable behavioral plus or minus medication therapies.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

• Significant prematurity at birth (less than 32 weeks gestation); or birthweight significantly below normal for gestational age (SGA--small for gestational age).

• Neurologic disorders including cerebral palsy, uncontrolled epilepsy, and Landau-Kleffner syndrome.

• Evidence of renal insufficiency or hepatic disease (to reduce the incidence of side-effects, since minocycline is excreted by the kidneys following hepatic metabolism)

• Increased risk of developing lupus-like syndrome with minocycline administration (positive anti-double stranded DNA or anti-nucleosome antibody tests at baseline, or presence of a first degree relative with S.L.E.)

• Recent (less than two months prior to study entry) initiation of a behavioral therapy program or new psychotropic medication trial.

• Subjects on one of the medications/supplements listed as those with possible interactions or those on high dose B6 supplementation. For those families who are interested in the study but are on any of these medications/supplements at the time of intake, they will be instructed to wean the medication as appropriate (working with the prescribing MD), and they will be enrolled after a 6-week wash-out period.