Propranolol, a medication used to treat hypertension, also helps reduce anxiety in children and teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This has been shown by a study published in the journal. Psychopharmacology.
69 patients with ASD and anxiety disorders participated in the experiment. They were divided into two groups: some took Propranolol, the second took a medicine without an active substance, that is, a placebo, to eliminate the self-hypnosis factor. Taking the drug significantly reduced the level of anxiety controlled by doctors during face-to-face examinations. However, no significant change was found in social communication skills.
“The results suggest that propranolol may be a useful treatment for reducing anxiety in people with autism. This drug has been around since the 1960s and is very inexpensive. Until now, there has been no specific drug known to treat psychiatric problems in people with autism, so these results are very promising,” doctors said. .
Previous scientists provenThat psychotherapy changes the activity of the cerebral cortex.