Abstract
Rationale
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an inherited form of developmental disability and a single gene cause of autism. As a disorder with increasingly understood pathophysiology, FXS is a model form of developmental disability for targeted drug development efforts. Preclinical animal model findings have focused targeted drug treatment development in FXS on an imbalance between excessive glutamate and deficient gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurotransmission.
Methods
We conducted a prospective open-label 10-week trial of acamprosate in 12 youth aged 6–17 years (mean age: 11.9 years) with FXS.
Results
Acamprosate use (mean dose: 1,054 ± 422 mg/day) was associated with treatment response (defined by a Clinical Global Impressions Improvement (CGI-I) scale score of “very much improved” or “much improved”) in nine of 12 (75 %) subjects. Improvement was noted in social behavior and inattention/hyperactivity using multiple standard behavioral outcome measures. No significant adverse effects or changes in vital signs, including weight or laboratory measures, occurred during treatment with acamprosate. Additionally, pre- and post-treatment blood biomarker analyses looking at brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels found a significant increase in BDNF with treatment. In our pilot sample, treatment response did not correlate with change in BDNF with treatment.
Conclusions
Acamprosate was generally safe and well tolerated and was associated with a significant improvement in social behavior and a reduction in inattention/hyperactivity. The increase in BDNF that occurred with treatment may be a useful pharmacodynamic marker in future acamprosate studies. Given these findings, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of acamprosate in youth with FXS is warranted.
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Acknowledgments
This work is supported by a grant from the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI; Dr. Erickson). The work is also supported, in part, by the Division of Disability & Rehabilitative Services, Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (Drs. Erickson, Wink); National Institute of Health grant KL2 UL1 RR025761 Indiana University Clinical, and Translational Sciences Institute Career Development Award (Dr. Erickson); NIH grant 5R01 AG 018884-10 (Dr. Lahiri); and NIMH grants R01 MH072964, R01 MH077600, and R01 MH083739 (Dr. McDougle). We would like to thank J.T. Diener, Jennifer Mullett, and Arlene Kohn for their assistance with this project.
Conflict of interest
Dr. Erickson is the inventor on intellectual property held by Indiana University related to use of acamprosate in fragile X syndrome and autism. Dr. Erickson holds equity in Confluence Pharmaceuticals, a company that has licensed this intellectual property from Indiana University.
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Erickson, C.A., Wink, L.K., Ray, B. et al. Impact of acamprosate on behavior and brain-derived neurotrophic factor: an open-label study in youth with fragile X syndrome. Psychopharmacology 228, 75–84 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-013-3022-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-013-3022-z