Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Nicotinic Cholinergic Modulation as a Novel Treatment Strategy for Aggression Associated With Autism
Brief Summary: Some individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) also demonstrate irritability or aggression, which can interfere with functioning. The purpose of this pilot study is to test whether transdermal nicotine is effective for irritability and/or aggression in adults with ASD using a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Subjects will participate in three visits. At the first visit, subjects are screened for eligibility and enrolled. Baseline measures include rating scales and a frustrative computerized task. They will then wear seven days of transdermal nicotine or placebo. Visit two is on day seven and the study measures are repeated, vital signs and side effects monitored. Subjects will return for a third and final visit on day 21 to repeat the study measures performed during visit two.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

1. Outpatients 5-17 years of age inclusive.
2. Meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). DSM-5 criteria will be established by a clinician with expertise with individuals with ASD. Diagnosis will be supported by the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, Second Edition (ADOS-2).
3. Complex language to qualify for ADOS-2 modules 3 or 4.
4. If already receiving stable concomitant medications affecting behaviour, have stable regimens with no changes during the preceding 6 weeks prior to Screening, and will not electively initiate new or modify ongoing medications for the duration of the study.
5. If already receiving stable non-pharmacological educational and behavioural interventions, have continuous participation during the preceding 3 months prior to Screening, and will not electively initiate new or modify ongoing interventions for the duration of the study.
6. Have normal physical examination and laboratory test results at Screening. If abnormal, the finding(s) must be deemed clinically insignificant by the Investigator.
7. Ability to obtain written informed consent from the participant, if developmentally appropriate. If a participant does not have the capacity to consent, ability to obtain assent (if developmentally appropriate), as well as written informed consent from their parent(s)/legal guardian(s).

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Pregnant females; sexually active females on inadequate birth control.
2. Have a serious medical condition that, based on Investigator judgment, might interfere with the conduct of the study, confound interpretation of the study results, or endanger their own well-being. Have evidence of any significant hematological, endocrine, cardiovascular (including uncorrected symptomatic congenital heart disease), respiratory, renal, hepatic, or gastrointestinal disease, not including mild common pediatric diseases in these areas that are stable (e.g. mild asthma, constipation, etc.).
3. Have unstable epilepsy (i.e. seizures occurring within the last 6 months), or have epilepsy and not on stable doses of antiepileptic medications (i.e. dose changes within the last 3 months).
4. Have a history of drug abuse.
5. Have hypersensitivity to arbaclofen or any components of its formulation.
6. Unable to tolerate venipuncture procedures for blood sampling.
7. Actively enrolled in another intervention study.
8. Taking racemic bacblofen, vigabatrin, tiagapine, riluzole, clobazam or regular benzodiazepine use (prn and hs use is allowed).
9. Unable to take oral medications.
10. Known hypersensitivity to racemic baclofen.
11. Inability to speak and understand English sufficiently enough to allow for the completion of all study assessments (parent/legal guardian; participant).
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of autism, Asperger's disorder, or PDD not otherwise specified (NOS) base on a semi-structured review of DSM-IV-R criteria and mental status examination as wll as a complete parental history obtained from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and a complete systematic patient interview utilizing the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS).
* Males and females ages 5-11 years.
* Significant social impairment as evidenced by a parent-rated Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) T-score of 60 or greater.
* TSSA score of 70% or less on both parent questionnaire and child assessment. Children not showing significant impairment in the four specific social skill areas (greetings/goodbyes, conversations, game play, and understanding emotions) targeted by the SST are less likely to benefit from treatment.
* Communication Standard Score of 70 or greater on the Vineland-II.
* Full Scale IQ greater than 70.
* Subjects must not be taking any psychotropic drugs affecting glutamate neurotransmission (riluzole, memantine, acamprosate, topiramate, amantadine, among others). Subjects may not be taking more than two psychotropic drugs. Dosing of all concomitant psychotropic drugs targeting core social and/or communication impairment must be stable for eight weeks prior to randomization. Dosing of all concomitant psychotropic drugs treating other features associated with pervasive developmental disorders (insomnia, inattention, hyperactivity, anxiety, irritability among others0 must be stable for two weeks (with the exception of four weeks for fluoxetine) prior to randomization.
* Able to participate in group SST based on semi-structured parent and child interview.
* Legal guardian has provided written informed consent and the subject has provided written informed assent. Expectation that a majority of subjects will be able to assent but the potential for the younger children and/or those that are cognitively impaired will not be able to assent.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Subjects with diagnoses of Rett's disorder or childhood integrative disorder will not be enrolled since these disorders have a different etiology, course, and treatment response. Furthermore, children with these disorders may not function at a high enough level in terms of cognition or language in order to benefit from the SST.
* Initiation of a new psychosocial intervention within 90 days prior to randomization. Participants who have recently had a significant change in their psychosocial interventions will not be eligible until this intervention has been stable for 90 days in order to avoid confounding results of the study. Stable interventions (e.g., speech and occupational therapy), with the exception of concurrent social skills training, will be allowed to continue during the course of the study. Minor changes in ongoing treatment (e.g., missed therapy sessions due to holiday/vacation; planned break in therapy due to school holidays) are not considered significant.
* Subjects exhibiting significant disruptive, aggressive, self-injurious, or sexually inappropriate behavior will not be eligible for enrollment.
* Presence of current DSM-IV-TR psychiatric disorders that require alternative pharmacotherapy or different treatment including psychotic disorders, or major affective disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic disorder, or substance related disorders.
* Presence of any medical condition that would make treatment with DCS less safe. Subjects with significant cardiac, hepatic, or renal disease will be excluded due to concerns about pharmacokinetic alterations or adverse effects. Subjects with a history of a seizure disorder are permitted if the subject has been seizure free for 6 months and is currently treated with an anticonvulsant that has been stable for 4 weeks. D-Cycloserine is an U.S. FDA Pregnancy Category C drug. Because of the unknown effects of DCS on the developing human fetus, females of childbearing potential will be given a urine pregnancy test and required to use a suitable form of birth control during the study. A positive pregnancy test result excludes the subject.
* Presence of any other condition that would make the participants unable to comply with the requirements of the study for any reason.
C: Inclusion criteria:

* Age: 18-60
* Gender: All
* Language: Communicative in English
* Participants with a prior diagnosis of DSM-5 ASD at some point in their lifetime OR a DSM-4 diagnosis of Autism OR a DSM-4 diagnosis of Asperger's syndrome OR a DSM-4 diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.
* Symptoms of irritability, agitation or aggression as reported by parent and/or participant
* Aberrant behavior checklist - Irritability Subscale (ABC-I) score of 16 or higher
* No changes in psychotropic medications within the past 14 days.
* Either lives with a primary caregiver or closely engaged with a primary caregiver who interacts with the patient daily
* BMI \> 17.5 and \< 45

Exclusion criteria:

* Age \< 18 or \> 60
* BMI \< 17.5 or \> 45
* Currently using tobacco or any nicotine products (transdermal, gum, e-cigarettes)
* Changes in psychotropic medication management within the past 14 days
* Previous allergy to transdermal patches
* Patients with heart rate \> 100 or \< 50 or known history of cardiac rhythm abnormalities
* Systolic blood pressure \> 150 or \< 95; diastolic blood pressure \> 90 or \< 50
* No symptoms of irritability, agitation, or aggression as reported by parent and/or participant
* ABC-I score of less than 16
* No primary caregiver, or primary caregiver unable to assist with rating scales
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Meet DSM-5 criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder confirmed by the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule- Generic (ADOS-G)
* Children between the ages of 5-12 years of age
* Language delay (lack of fluent phrase speech) reflected by use of ADOS Module 1 or 2
* Must be on stable medication regimens for at least three months prior to enrollment, assuming the concomitant medication is safe for use with IGF-1

Exclusion Criteria:

* Closed epiphyses
* Active or suspected neoplasia
* Intracranial hypertension
* Hepatic insufficiency
* Renal insufficiency
* Cardiomegaly/valvulopathy
* History of allergy to IGF-1
* Patients with comorbid conditions deemed too medically compromised to tolerate the risk of experimental treatment with IGF-1

Answer: C