The Safety and Effectiveness of High-Dose Propranolol as a Treatment for Challenging Behaviors in Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
Eric B LondonBarbie Zimmerman-Bier

Abstract

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders present with social communication deficits and a rigid adherence to sameness. Along with these symptoms, many individuals also present with severe challenging behaviors that place themselves as well as their families and communities at risk for injury. For these individuals, new and effective treatments are acutely needed. Propranolol has been used worldwide for over 50 years. Its primary indication is for hypertension, but there is evidence that, at higher doses, propranolol inhibits rage and anger through its effects on the central nervous system. This effect has been demonstrated in a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we present 46 retrospective analyses of clinical cases that were followed by a psychiatrist. Propranolol was prescribed as an add-on to the patients' existing medications. The doses ranged from 120 to 960 mg per day (mean = 462 mg). Thirty-nine (85%) of 46 patients were found to be much improved or very much improved on the physician-rated Clinical Global Impression Improvement scale. There were few side effects noted, with only 2 subjects unable to tolerate the propranolol. It appears that high-dose propranolol can be given safely with minimal adverse cardi...Continue Reading

References

Apr 1, 1986·Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology·J J RateyJ Bemporad
Mar 1, 1987·Mayo Clinic Proceedings·S C Jenkins, T Maruta
Sep 1, 1987·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·J J RateyE Mikkelsen
Apr 1, 1986·Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology·S A PolakoffJ J Ratey
Jul 1, 1972·British Journal of Pharmacology·M H Lader, P J Tyrer
Mar 1, 1982·Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry·D T WilliamsB Roseman
Feb 1, 1981·The American Journal of Psychiatry·S YudofskyJ Gorman
Jan 1, 1994·Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis·B A IwataG S Richman
Oct 1, 1996·The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry·E R AllanI Berman
Jun 1, 1997·Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry·D F ConnorK E Fletcher
Jan 1, 1995·Harvard Review of Psychiatry·T Haspel
Aug 10, 1999·The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences·J M SilverJ Endicott
Mar 10, 2001·Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Research Reviews·S R SchroederD F Wong
May 16, 1964·Lancet·J W BLACKA C DORNHORST
Oct 17, 2003·American Journal of Mental Retardation : AJMR·Curt A SandmanAleksandra Chicz-DeMet
Jan 25, 2006·Journal of Intellectual Disability Research : JIDR·L LecavalierJ Wiltz
Apr 6, 2006·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·David S MandellJennifer Pinto-Martin
Nov 3, 2007·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·David S Mandell
Sep 4, 2008·Neurocase·David Q BeversdorfAshleigh Hillier
Nov 7, 2008·Developmental Psychobiology·Christa J Anderson, John Colombo
May 27, 2010·Brain Imaging and Behavior·Ananth NarayananDavid Q Beversdorf
Oct 21, 2010·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Stephen M Kanne, Micah O Mazurek
Apr 14, 2011·Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology : Official Journal of the Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology·David Q BeversdorfShawn E Christ
Nov 10, 2011·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Matthew Siegel, Amy A Beaulieu
Apr 1, 2008·Behavior Analysis in Practice·Brian A Iwata, Claudia L Dozier
Sep 4, 2012·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Zuleyha CidavDavid S Mandell
Jun 12, 2013·Research in Developmental Disabilities·Christian J BachmannFalk Hoffmann
Oct 25, 2013·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Teal W Benevides, Shelly J Lane
Nov 16, 2013·Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America·Devon CarrollLawrence Scahill
Jan 7, 2014·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Lynn Waterhouse, Christopher Gillberg
Feb 4, 2014·Current Psychiatry Reports·Danielle A Baribeau, Evdokia Anagnostou
Feb 28, 2014·Autism : the International Journal of Research and Practice·Benjamin A AdlerCraig A Erickson
Apr 16, 2014·Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology·Rachel M ZamzowDavid Q Beversdorf
Jul 18, 2014·Molecular Autism·Azadeh KushkiEvdokia Anagnostou
Sep 10, 2014·Research in Developmental Disabilities·Johnny L Matson, Jina Jang
Sep 16, 2014·Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders·Alison Presmanes HillEric Fombonne
Oct 16, 2014·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·James M OtisDevin Mueller
Dec 4, 2014·Trends in Neurosciences·Eric B London
May 20, 2015·Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders·Gerrit I Van SchalkwykFred R Volkmar
Aug 1, 2015·Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis·Louis P HagopianJennifer R Zarcone
Aug 4, 2015·Brain & Development·Xue MingPeter O Julu

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Sep 8, 2020·Seminars in Pediatric Neurology·David Q Beversdorf
Sep 3, 2021·Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity·Natália Cruz-MartinsWilliam C Cho

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Autism

Autism spectrum disorder is associated with challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, and often accompanied by sensory sensitivities and medical issues. Here is the latest research on autism.

Related Papers

The American Journal of Psychiatry
H M Emrich
Archives of Otolaryngology--head & Neck Surgery
Carine FuchsmannPatrick Froehlich
Cephalalgia : an International Journal of Headache
J PascualJ Berciano
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved