PMID- 27123827
OWN - NLM
STAT- MEDLINE
DCOM- 20180108
LR  - 20180927
IS  - 1557-8992 (Electronic)
IS  - 1044-5463 (Linking)
VI  - 26
IP  - 9
DP  - 2016 Nov
TI  - Varenicline in Autism: Theory and Case Report of Clinical and Biochemical 
      Changes.
PG  - 792-797
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To explore the potential benefits of varenicline (CHANTIX((R))), a 
      highly specific partial agonist of neuronal alpha4beta2 nicotinic acetylcholine 
      receptors (nAChR), for autistic symptoms, and present resulting biochemical 
      changes in light of dopamine-related genotype. METHODS: The clinical and 
      biochemical changes exhibited by a 19-year-old severely autistic man following 
      the use of low-dose varenicline in an ABA experiment of nature, and his genotype, 
      were extracted from chart review. Clinical outcome was measured by the Ohio 
      Autism Clinical Impression Scale and 12 relevant urine and saliva metabolites 
      were measured by Neuroscience Laboratory. RESULTS: With varenicline, this patient 
      improved clinically and autonomic biochemical indicators in saliva and urine 
      normalized, including dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), 
      epinephrine, norepinephrine, taurine, and histamine levels. In addition, with 
      varenicline, the dopamine D1 receptor (DRD1) antibody titer as well as the 
      percent of baseline calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM KII) activity 
      dropped significantly. When varenicline stopped, he deteriorated; when it was 
      resumed, he again improved. Doses of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg daily were tried before 
      settling on a dose of 1.5 mg daily. He has remained on varenicline for over a 
      year with no noticeable side effects. CONCLUSION: This report is, to the best of 
      our knowledge, only the second to demonstrate positive effects of varenicline in 
      autism, the first to show it in a severe case, and the first to show 
      normalization of biochemical parameters related to genotype. As with the previous 
      report, these encouraging results warrant further controlled research before 
      clinical recommendations can be made.
FAU - Mostafavi, Mojdeh
AU  - Mostafavi M
AD  - 1 Tufts University School of Medicine , Boston, Massachusetts.
FAU - Hardy, Paul
AU  - Hardy P
AD  - 2 Hardy Healthcare, PLLC , Peterborough, New Hampshire.
FAU - Arnold, L Eugene
AU  - Arnold LE
AD  - 3 Department of Psychiatry, Nisonger Center, Ohio State University , Columbus, 
      Ohio.
LA  - eng
PT  - Case Reports
PT  - Journal Article
PT  - Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
DEP - 20160428
PL  - United States
TA  - J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol
JT  - Journal of child and adolescent psychopharmacology
JID - 9105358
RN  - 0 (Nicotinic Agonists)
RN  - 0 (Receptors, Nicotinic)
RN  - 0 (nicotinic receptor alpha4beta2)
RN  - VTD58H1Z2X (Dopamine)
RN  - W6HS99O8ZO (Varenicline)
SB  - IM
MH  - Autistic Disorder/*drug therapy/physiopathology
MH  - Dopamine/metabolism
MH  - Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
MH  - Genotype
MH  - Humans
MH  - Male
MH  - Nicotinic Agonists/administration & dosage/pharmacology/*therapeutic use
MH  - Receptors, Nicotinic/drug effects
MH  - Varenicline/administration & dosage/pharmacology/*therapeutic use
MH  - Young Adult
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - autism
OT  - nicotine
OT  - nicotinic receptors
OT  - treatment
OT  - varenicline
OT  - alpha4beta2 receptors
EDAT- 2016/04/29 06:00
MHDA- 2018/01/09 06:00
CRDT- 2016/04/29 06:00
PHST- 2016/04/29 06:00 [pubmed]
PHST- 2018/01/09 06:00 [medline]
PHST- 2016/04/29 06:00 [entrez]
AID - 10.1089/cap.2015.0230 [doi]
PST - ppublish
SO  - J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2016 Nov;26(9):792-797. doi: 
      10.1089/cap.2015.0230. Epub 2016 Apr 28.