Trial reportBiological psychiatry2012
A randomized controlled pilot trial of oral N-acetylcysteine in children with autism.
Trial report in Biological psychiatry, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 6 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 113 papers, 8 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Double-blind , Randomized, Placebo Controlled Study of N-Acetyl Cysteine in Autism.
The Effect of High Antioxidant Cacao on Behaviors in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder
Use of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) in the Treatment of Repetitive Behaviors (RB) and Self-Injurious Behaviors (SIB) in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome: A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Pilot Study
Antioxidant Therapy With N-acetylcysteine for Learning and Motor Behavior in Children With Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Antioxidant Therapy With N-acetylcysteine for Motor Behavior and/or Learning in Children With Neurofibromatosis Type 1
A Phase 1 Trial of Tolerability of Enteral N-Acetylcysteine in Infants
Who cites it
113 citing papers in PubMed, 8 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 285 citations in OpenAlex.
- Navigating agitation in neurodevelopmental disorders: A comparative study of pharmacotherapies via network meta-analysis in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder or intellectual disabilities.Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) · 2025Pooled it
- Pharmacological intervention for irritability, aggression, and self-injury in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2023Pooled it
- Oxidative stress marker aberrations in children with autism spectrum disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 87 studies (N = 9109).Translational psychiatry · 2021Pooled it
- Pharmacotherapy of restricted/repetitive behavior in autism spectrum disorder:a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2020Pooled it
- Drug Treatment of Trichotillomania (Hair-Pulling Disorder), Excoriation (Skin-picking) Disorder, and Nail-biting (Onychophagia).Current neuropharmacology · 2019Pooled it
- Pharmacological interventions for challenging behaviour in children with intellectual disabilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2015Pooled it
- Predictors of placebo response in pharmacological and dietary supplement treatment trials in pediatric autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis.Translational psychiatry · 2015Pooled it
- Assessment and management of treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder in children.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry · 2015Pooled it
- Memantine to Treat Social Impairment in Youths With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.JAMA network open · 2025Trial
- Investigating Social Competence in a Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial of a Theatre-Based Intervention Enhanced for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of autism and developmental disorders · 2025Trial
- An Open-Label Case Series of Glutathione Use for Symptomatic Management in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Trial
- Peers, play, and performance to build social salience in autistic youth: A multisite randomized clinical trial.Journal of consulting and clinical psychology · 2023Trial
- Findings from a pilot open-label trial of N-acetylcysteine for the treatment of pediatric mania and hypomania.BMC psychiatry · 2022Trial
- Randomized controlled trial ofNeurology · 2020Trial
- Identification of urinary metabolites that correlate with clinical improvements in children with autism treated with sulforaphane from broccoli.Molecular autism · 2018Trial
- Weight Gain and Metabolic Consequences of Risperidone in Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry · 2016Trial
- N-Acetylcysteine in the Treatment of Pediatric Tourette Syndrome: Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Add-On Trial.Journal of child and adolescent psychopharmacology · 2016Trial
- A randomized placebo-controlled pilot study of N-acetylcysteine in youth with autism spectrum disorder.Molecular autism · 2016Trial
- A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of D-cycloserine for the enhancement of social skills training in autism spectrum disorders.Molecular autism · 2016Trial
- A randomized double blind placebo controlled clinical trial of N-Acetylcysteine added to risperidone for treating autistic disorders.BMC psychiatry · 2013Trial
53 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundAn imbalance in the excitatory/inhibitory systems with abnormalities in the glutamatergic pathways has been implicated in the pathophysiology of autism. Furthermore, chronic redox imbalance was also recently linked to this disorder. The goal of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of using oral N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a glutamatergic modulator and an antioxidant, in the treatment of behavioral disturbance in children with autism.
methodsThis was a 12-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of NAC in children with autistic disorder. Subjects randomized to NAC were initiated at 900 mg daily for 4 weeks, then 900 mg twice daily for 4 weeks and 900 mg three times daily for 4 weeks. The primary behavioral measure (Aberrant Behavior Checklist [ABC] irritability subscale) and safety measures were performed at baseline and 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Secondary measures included the ABC stereotypy subscale, Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised, and Social Responsiveness Scale.
resultsThirty-three subjects (31 male subjects, 2 female subjects; aged 3.2-10.7 years) were randomized in the study. Follow-up data was available on 14 subjects in the NAC group and 15 in the placebo group. Oral NAC was well tolerated with limited side effects. Compared with placebo, NAC resulted in significant improvements on ABC irritability subscale (F = 6.80; p < .001; d = .96).
conclusionsData from this pilot investigation support the potential usefulness of NAC for treating irritability in children with autistic disorder. Large randomized controlled investigations are warranted.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.