Abstract
Secretin has been proposed as a treatment alternative for autistic spectrum disorders, but empirical support is lacking. A double-blind placebo-controlled study examined the effect of a single dose of synthetic human secretin on aberrant behavior. Parent and teacher data from the Aberrant Behavior Checklist for eight male children were analyzed for reliable change in a clinical replication series. By parent and teacher report, the majority of change occurred either on the placebo trial or reflected deterioration subsequent to secretin infusion. Repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance results were similar. Results are consistent with other studies, suggesting that secretin may not be an effective treatment option.
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Carey, T., Ratliff-Schaub, K., Funk, J. et al. Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of Secretin: Effects on Aberrant Behavior in Children with Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 32, 161–167 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015493412224
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015493412224