Clinical effects of naltrexone on autistic behavior.

Eight young adults who were diagnosed with autism were given the opiate antagonist naltrexone to control self-injurious behavior and maladaptive idiosyncratic mannerisms. The drug and placebo were administered in a double-blind crossover design over 17 weeks. Although one subject appeared to have partial decreases in maladaptive behaviors associated with naltrexone use, the drugs, as administered in this study, did not reduce the self-injurious and other maladaptive behaviors of the subjects.

Thyroid and vitamin-mineral supplement fail to improve IQ of mentally retarded adults.

Institutionalized profoundly mentally retarded adults (N = 37) were studied to determine whether thyroid medication is an essential component of a recently introduced nutritional supplementation treatment. Biochemical assessments confirmed that compliance with the treatments was adequate; however, no significant IQ improvements were observed.

Vitamin-mineral supplement fails to improve IQ of mentally retarded young adults.

Twenty mentally retarded persons participated in a study to determine the effect of large doses of vitamin-mineral supplements on IQ, educability, electrophysiological responsiveness, and pyridoxine metabolism. Using a double-blind matched group experimental design, we administered supplements and placebos for 6 months. Pre- and postmeasurements showed no significant effects on any of the measured variables.

Method of sacrifice influences leucine enkephalin binding to mouse brain.

The methods used for sacrifice of animals and the time taken for any dissection procedures of the brain tissue at room temperature have been shown to influence the number of available binding sites for [3H] leucine enkephalin (10 nM) to mouse brain homogenates. These factors should be considered when utilizing receptor binding techniques as an indirect method for evaluating the in vitro functional state of opiate receptor populations.

Evidence for noninvolvement of brain glycoprotein metabolism in escape training.

In two experiments, 21-day-old Sprague-Dawley rats received escape training in a two-choice four-alley water maze. Following training, glycosyl transferase activities of brain microsomal fractions were assayed in control and experimental animals. No significant group differences were observed in the extent of transfer of galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine to endogenous or exogenous acceptors.