Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorders
Keywords: Autism Spectrum Disorders Oxytocin Clinical Trial Computer-based Intervention Social Perception Social Motivation Social Cognition
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: PARALLEL
Enrollment: 36
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The main objective of this study is to determine the safety and therapeutic potential of intranasal oxytocin in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) when paired with a computer game intervention that is designed to enhance face perception skills.

Detailed description:
Recognizing faces is critical to social functioning, and can be improved for individuals with ASD by using intervention software in the form of appropriately designed computer games. The effects of this type of social intervention may be amplified with the concurrent use of oxytocin. Furthermore, these learning effects may impact social skills in general and translate to the level of the individual's everyday social behavior. Thus, the objective of this study is to determine the safety and therapeutic potential of intranasal oxytocin in children and adolescents with ASD when paired with a computer game intervention that is designed to enhance face perception skills.

Arms:
arm 1: * Intranasal oxytocin (Trade name: Syntocinon)
* Pharmacological class: The pharmacologic and clinical properties of Syntocinon are identical with the naturally occurring hormone oxytocin, which is released from the posterior pituitary.
* Route of administration: Intranasal
* Planned exposure: Each participant will receive one dose of intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) per day for 5 days.
* One dose of 24 IU equals 6 spray puffs (3 puffs in each nostril).
* Oxytocin will be imported from Victoria Pharmacy Zurich- Switzerland. arm 2: * Intranasal placebo
* The placebo is identical to the oxytocin formulation with the exception of the active compound.
* Route of administration: Intranasal
* Planned exposure: Each participant will receive one dose of intranasal placebo per day for 5 days.
* One dose equals 6 spray puffs (3 puffs in each nostril).
* Placebo will be imported from Victoria Pharmacy Zurich- Switzerland.

Interventions: intervention 1: Intranasal Oxytocin (Trade name: Syntocinon)
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: This is a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of intranasal oxytocin in children and adolescents with ASD. Subjects will be randomized to 24 IU intranasal oxytocin or placebo for a 5 day period with concomitant game play of computer games, which are designed to enhance face perception skills. Measures of social function and cognition will be administered before and after the intervention period.

Protocol document: