Drug treatments for the core signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are not presently available. Could an existing drug offer a brand-new treatment, even if it previously had no association with ASD? A typically used antidiarrheal drug called loperamide was the most promising prospect, and the scientists have an intriguing hypothesis about how it may work to deal with ASD signs. “However, a lot of adults and about half of kids and teenagers with ASD are treated with antipsychotic drugs, which have severe side impacts or absence effectiveness in ASD.”
These outcomes in mice highlight the tantalizing possibility that loperamide, or other drugs that target the μ-opioid receptor, might represent a new method to treat the social signs present in ASD.
They identified potential prospects to deal with ASD by looking at how different drugs affected proteins in the system. A commonly utilized antidiarrheal drug called loperamide was the most appealing prospect, and the researchers have an intriguing hypothesis about how it might work to treat ASD signs. A few of the most common signs of ASD include troubles with social interaction and communication.
” There are no medications currently authorized for the treatment of social communication deficits, the main sign in ASD,” stated Dr. Elise Koch. She is the lead author of the study and a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Institute of Clinical Medicine at the University of Oslo. “However, most grownups and about half of kids and teenagers with ASD are treated with antipsychotic drugs, which have serious adverse effects or absence effectiveness in ASD.”
Repurposing drugs as brand-new treatments
In an effort to find a brand-new method to treat ASD, the scientists turned to drug repurposing. This involves exploring existing drugs as possible treatments for a various condition. There are many benefits to this approach, as there is often extensive knowledge about existing drugs in regards to their safety, side impacts, and the biological molecules that they engage with inside the body.
To determine brand-new treatments for ASD, the researchers used a computer-based protein interaction network. Such networks incorporate proteins and the intricate interactions in between them. It is crucial to account for this intricacy when studying biological systems, as affecting one protein can often have ripple effects in other places.
The private investigators built a protein interaction network that consisted of proteins related to ASD By examining existing drugs and their interaction with proteins in the network, the group identified numerous candidates that neutralize the biological process underlying ASD.
The most appealing drug is called loperamide, which is typically used for diarrhea. Although it might seem unusual that an anti-diarrheal drug might treat core ASD symptoms, the researchers have established a hypothesis about how it may work.
From an upset intestinal system to ASD.
Loperamide binds to and activates a protein called the μ-opioid receptor, which is usually affected by opioid drugs, such as morphine. Together with the results that you would normally anticipate from an opioid drug, such as pain relief, the μ-opioid receptor also affects social behavior.
In previous research studies, genetically engineered mice that lack the μ-opioid receptor demonstrated social deficits comparable to those seen in ASD. Surprisingly, drugs that activate the μ-opioid receptor assisted to bring back social habits.
These outcomes in mice highlight the tantalizing possibility that loperamide, or other drugs that target the μ-opioid receptor, might represent a brand-new method to treat the social signs present in ASD. More work is required to test this hypothesis. In any case, the present research study demonstrates the power of presuming that old drugs might indeed learn brand-new techniques..
Referral: “Drug repurposing prospects to treat core symptoms in autism spectrum condition” by Elise Koch and Ditte Demontis, 12 September 2022, Frontiers in Pharmacology.DOI: 10.3389/ fphar.2022.995439.
Loperamide is a medication to treat short-term diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It is more frequently known by the brand Imodium, and is readily available over the counter (nonprescription). It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines.
Scientist browsed existing drugs, searching for prospective treatments for the core symptoms of autism spectrum condition. The most promising one they discovered is called loperamide, much better understood by the brand Imodium, which is commonly used for diarrhea.
Study is the very first to use protein interaction networks to study whether existing drugs might deal with autism, finding prospective in a common antidiarrheal drug.
There are presently no effective treatments for the core symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), such as troubles with interacting and mingling. A new research study utilizes a computer-based protein interaction network to determine whether existing drugs might offer a brand-new treatment technique. The scientists found that a typical anti-diarrheal drug might have possible in dealing with the social difficulties related to ASD.
Can you teach an old drug new techniques? Drug treatments for the core signs of autism spectrum condition (ASD) are not presently offered. Could an existing drug supply a new treatment, even if it formerly had no association with ASD? This was the question asked by a new study that was released on September 12 in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology. The researchers used a computer system model that incorporates proteins associated with ASD and the way they engage.
