The efficiency and safety of N-acetylcysteine augmentation in the autistic children with severe irritability and aggression: six cases

• Published in: Anadolu psikiyatri dergisi Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 218 - 221
• Main Authors: Önder, Arif, Adanır, Aslı, Çoban, Özge, Bilaç, Öznur, Kara, Aziz
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sivas ESFORM Ofset Ltd 01-04-2020; Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry
• Subjects: Aggressiveness; Antioxidants; Autism; Autistic children; Drug dosages; Families & family life; Felsefe & Psikoloji & Sosyoloji; Hyperactivity; Intellectual disabilities; Mental disorders; Metabolism; Outpatient care facilities; Oxidative stress; Patients; Sivas; Türkiye; N-asetilsistein; irritability; N-Acetylcysteine; irritabilite; Otizm; autism; aggresion; agresyon
• ISSN: 1302-6631
• DOI: 10.5455/apd.53708

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by deficits in social interactions and communication, and restricted and stereotypic behaviors. A growing body of evidence has identified metabolic pathways and glutamatergic neurotransmission affecting oxidative stress levels as potential targets of drug development in autism spectrum disorders. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an antioxidant that modulate glutamate and reduce oxidative stress, both associated with the pathophysiology of ASD. N-acetylcysteine has been identified as a potential treatment agent for irritability and self-injurious behaviors in autism. In this case report, we report six cases of autism with severe symptoms of irritability and aggression, two of them responded well to N-acetylcysteine treatment, two of them responded partially and while two did not. (Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2020; 21(2):218-221)