Drug could get into the autistic mind

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Scientist
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03 Jun 2010, 4:50 pm

Yesterday I came across this news article, saying they are testing a new drug for autism, one that could improve social skills:

Quote:
Can people with autism take a pill to improve their social skills? For the first time, drugs are being tested that could address the social difficulties associated with autism and other learning disorders by tackling some of the brain chemistry thought to underlie them.


Here's the link to the article:
New Scientist - Drug could get into the autistic mind


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dt18
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03 Jun 2010, 5:46 pm

If this drug was relatively safe and hit the market, I'd do it. I'm sick of being socially at a disadvantage all the time.



Apple_in_my_Eye
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03 Jun 2010, 6:24 pm

I've only done a quick google to read up on this new drug, so maybe there is more that I'm missing, but I don't get it.

The drug is "arbaclofen," which seems to be nothing more than a better absorbed version of the drug "baclofen." And baclofen has been on the market for at least 10 years (I took it 10 years ago for a strained back (it's used as a muscle relaxant)). It doesn't sound like a "new drug" in the sense of a new mechanism of action in the brain.

So... ???



Kat15
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03 Jun 2010, 11:53 pm

dt18 wrote:
If this drug was relatively safe and hit the market, I'd do it. I'm sick of being socially at a disadvantage all the time.


I wouldn't. I like the way I am.



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04 Jun 2010, 3:00 am

You could never make me take it and if the government tries to force it upon me, I know how to shoot a gun and I am not afraid to use it.


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auntblabby
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04 Jun 2010, 3:27 am

Apple_in_my_Eye wrote:
The drug is "arbaclofen," which seems to be nothing more than a better absorbed version of the drug "baclofen." And baclofen has been on the market for at least 10 years (I took it 10 years ago for a strained back (it's used as a muscle relaxant)). It doesn't sound like a "new drug" in the sense of a new mechanism of action in the brain.


i take a similar-purposed drug called diclofen, so i wonder how different this is from baclofen/arbaclofen? anyways, the only drug which really made my back [and the rest of me] feel relatively normal was valium, which also made me not give a diddly-damn about my normal social deficits.



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04 Jun 2010, 3:31 am

Can you freebase it?



Apple_in_my_Eye
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04 Jun 2010, 4:17 am

I found "diclofenac" on google, and it looks like an anti-inflamatory. Actually, baclofen works similarly to valium. Valium sort of amplifies the effects at 2 receptors, GABA-A and GABA-B, whereas baclofen only effects GABA-B. (Ambien affects GABA-A only. I think alcohol affects A & B.) The B part has some effect in the spinal cord that relaxes muscles (and is also what causes the incoordination from alcohol).

</Dr. Science mode>

I found baclofen a little relaxing, but it ultimately set off a bad depression. (I seem really prone to that, though.) There was a bit of feeling a little 'sloshed' (like intox'ed on alcohol, I mean), but besides the lessened anxiety I couldn't see it helping in any fundamental way, socially.

Freebasing baclofen -- not worth it (not that I've ever freebased anything). Inhaling a whipped cream canister would probably be more worthwhile. (Hmm... a new idea for the next autism cure??~!)



Exclavius
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04 Jun 2010, 9:18 pm

I think the oxytocin side of the research is more important.

In the past i've read a great deal about this natural hormone.
I wouldn't give up who I am... But there are things in life that I want, that i need, and that i can't have the way I am.

If i'm close to people too much, i freak... meltdown... I can't deal with extended closeness.. it's gotten worse as I've gotten older too.

If oxytocin could allow me to get close to the one person that i want to be close to.... I'd kill for it.
I'm not sure when next i'll talk with my psychiatrist, but I think i'm going to bring it up with her when next I do.

From what i have read about it... it's effects are completely controllable by the user.
Why? because each "dose" is very short lasting... so you don't have to worry about taking it so that you can be close and then two hours later being at the store and hearing some gossip that you'll blindly believe because of the increased trust.

I don't know if it is something that is continually needed to keep the trust, or whether once the trust is developed whether it can survive on it's own without the additional hormone, but ... I'd volunteer to be a guinea pig on this one.
I've found places where you can apparently buy it online, but well, i don't trust those kinda fly-by-night online drug suppliers, I got trust issues with them :lol: I'd need some oxytocin so that i could trust them with my money, ... or to take the drugs that they sell me...