The diuretic bumetanide decreases autistic behaviour in five infants treated during 3 months with no side effects
Abstract
UNLABELLED: The inhibitory transmitter GABA has been suggested to play an important role in infantile autistic syndrome (IAS), and extensive investigations suggest that excitatory actions of GABA in neurological disorders are because of a persistent increase of [Cl(-) ](I) . AIMS: To test the effects of the chloride co-transporter NKCC1 diuretic compound Bumetanide that reduces [Cl(-) ](I) on IAS. METHODS: Bumetanide was administered daily (1mg daily) during a 3-month period and clinical and biological tests made. We used 5 standard IAS severity tests - Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Aberrant Behaviour Checklist, Clinical Global Impressions; Repetitive and Restrictive Behaviour and the Regulation Disorder Evaluation Grid. RESULTS: We report a significant improvement in IAS with no side effects. CONCLUSION: Bumetanide decreases autistic behaviour with no side effects suggesting that diuretic agents may exert beneficial effects on IAS and that alterations of the actions of GABA may be efficient in IAS treatment calling for large scale randomized trials.
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Bumetanide has been purported as a potential treatment in autism due to its chloride-related antagonist effects linked to GABA-ergic inhibition.
“Bumetanide has been purported as a potential treatment in autism due to its inherent chloride-related antagonist effects which is linked to GABA-ergic inhibition [93].”
From An Update on Psychopharmacological Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder (2022) · cites this paper as [93]
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- Authors
- Lemonnier, E., & Ben‐Ari, Y.
- Affiliations
- Inserm (FR)
- ORCID
- Ben‐Ari, Yehezkel
- Venue
- Acta Paediatrica
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2010-10-29
- Volume
- 99
- Issue
- 12
- Pages
- 1885-1888
- ISSN
- 0365-1436 (ISSN-L)
- 0803-5253
- 1651-2227
- OpenAlex
- W2141645563
- Cited by
- 153
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 2.91
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Acta Paediatrica (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Keywords
- bumetanide, infantile autism, autistic behavior, intracellular chloride, diuretic therapy, autism treatment, infants
- MeSH terms
- Autistic Disorder, Bumetanide, Child, Child, Preschool, Chlorides, Diuretics, Female, Follow-Up Studies, gamma-Aminobutyric Acid, Humans, Infant, Male, Treatment Outcome, Sodium-Potassium-Chloride Symporters, Solute Carrier Family 12, Member 2
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