Nicotine Patch Helps Severely-Autistic Adult

Mother advocates and uses Nicotine Patches for Severely Autistic Son after repeated failure of multiple anti-psychotic medications that left him in bad health. Nictoine patch has had NO side effects and has reduced self-abusive behaviors. autizmus terápiás nikotin

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[Bakmoon]

Wonderful! I am so glad that you found a way to help your son. It seems that your persistence has really paid off. Just one question: would it be safer for his heart to use an Acetylcholine reuptake inhibitor to increase his acetylcholine? I don't know if nicotine itself is bad for the heart, but maybe it is worth a look.

[CDFoakley]

@Bakmoon That's a great question and the answer seems to be in research showing Acetylcholine esterase inhibitors like donepezil, etc....do indeed offer some help, but they, like most drugs, have harsh side effects. Nicotine seems less aversive, but I'm open to trying a short trial of choline reuptake inhibitors if nicotine stops helping....I've also started adding egg yolks and other foods high in choline to his diet on a daily basis. Egg yolks and liver are rich in choline, but YUK on liver...

[CDFoakley]

Update: it's August 24th, and our son has been using the nicotine patch since July. His SIB has dramatically decreased. More focus. More eye contact. Calmer. He's not eating as much though, so we will ask doctor to lower dose from 14 mg daily to 7 mg. In any event, I hope he doesn't build tolerance, as this seems to be the most effective treatment we've found yet for controlling the savage self injurious behaviors he's suffered from for 19 years!

[sammbah]

I have read about this before and been tempted to try it on my daughter. You are always on step ahead. I might try it out now.

[CDFoakley]

@sammbah oh good! Ask doctor, because it may be covered under "behavioral modification" . It seems odd, but this therapy seems to have really calmed our son over the past few weeks!

[Lynn60203]

It looks promising, however nicotine is a temporary solution. It uses the meso-limbic pathway in the brain and fires dopamine receptors. Like other drugs which do this, it can only last so long until tolerance builds.

Until then I encourage you to use the method if it relieves his symptoms. Best wishes, Lynn

[CDFoakley]

@Lynn60203 Good point. However, used PRN (as needed) could reduce the tolerance factor. Or switching from 14 mg to 7 mg, once homeostasis achieved. The target of nicotine therapy in our case is that I strongly believe, based on analysis of research, targeting acetylcholine function is critical in autistics with challenging behaviors. Nicotine elevates choline in brain. There may not be a tolerance factor in elevating choline.

[eethomp]

Wow, he looks much better! Your persistence is really paying off. I hope the effect holds, and you can balance the nicotine and appetite.

[LettyVLO1]

Hi Hun! Hope to find you and Jamey good. Thank you for the video and information. Your great.

[CDFoakley]

@genmama1955 Research. Latest research shows nicotine patch is one way of elevating choline in brains of autistic persons who are suffering from chronic behavioral issues. Apparently, low levels of choline in brain impair concentration, learning and memory, which are not helpful in healing the autistic brain. Who would think such a simple treatment could be a potential therapeutic tool in treating some autistics?