Investigators at Marcus Autism Center, Emory Autism Center and Georgia State University Awarded Major Contract from National Institute of Mental Health.
ATLANTA (2014) – A multi-institutional team of Atlanta researchers has been awarded a contract from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to conduct ambitious, fast-paced studies of new drugs for the treatment of autism spectrum disorder. The contract is part of the NIMH’s new experimental medicine program: Fast-Fail Trials in Autism Spectrum Disorder (FAST-AS). The NIMH is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
The Atlanta team includes investigators at Marcus Autism Center of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory Autism Center, Emory University School of Medicine Departments of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, and the Department of Psychology at Georgia State University.
The Atlanta-based group joins a network of other leading medical centers including the University of California at Los Angeles, Harvard University and the University of Washington.
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) begins in early childhood and is characterized by deficits in social interaction, repetitive behavior and restricted patterns of interest. ASD was once considered rare and uniformly severe, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now estimates that one in 88 children in the U.S. is affected. All individuals with ASD require supportive services; however, some are more severely affected and need a full range of medical, behavioral and educational services.
Although it is unlikely that ASD has a single cause, several genes have been identified in the last decade that dramatically increase the risk of ASD. These recent advances in genetics and neurobiology offer clues on possible drug treatments focused on core aspects of the disorder.
“Currently, there are no medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating the social disability and repetitive behavior that define ASD,” said Lawrence Scahill, MSN, Ph.D., director of clinical trials at Marcus Autism Center and professor of pediatrics at Emory School of Medicine. “The two FDA-approved medications that are used to treat serious behavioral problems in children with ASD may not address the core problems of the disorder.”
The Atlanta FAST-AS team led by Scahill also includes Joseph Cubells, M.D., Ph.D., medical director of the Emory Autism Center, and Gwen Frishkoff, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Georgia State University. Cubells has extensive experience treating adults with ASD. Frishkoff brings specific expertise in measuring brain physiology using electroencephalography (EEG), which is a primary outcome of interest in the first clinical trial.
The first FAST-AS study will examine a compound that boosts the function of a brain chemical called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Previous evidence shows that GABA signaling is decreased in individuals with ASD. The study aims to confirm the mechanism and tolerability of the drug in adults with ASD. If this pilot study is successful, the drug may be ready for larger clinical trials designed to evaluate its effectiveness for social disability.
Marcus Autism Center
Marcus Autism Center is a not-for-profit organization and an affiliate of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta that treats more than 5,500 children with autism and related disorders a year. As one of the largest autism centers in the U.S. and one of only three National Institutes of Health Autism Centers of Excellence, Marcus Autism Center offers families access to the latest research, comprehensive evaluations and intensive behavior treatments. With the help of research grants, community support and government funding, Marcus Autism Center aims to maximize the potential of children with autism today and transform the very nature of autism for future generations. Visit marcus.org for more information.
Emory Autism Center
The Emory Autism Center is a component of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine. The program was opened in 1991 as a public, private and university collaboration. Since opening, the Emory Autism Center has become a national model for diagnosis, family support and innovative treatment, as well as a vital source of professional training.
