How Drugs are used in Autism

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Drugs are used to alter the thought process of those with Autism. The main type of drug is called nootropics.
It has many forms, is very common, and is found in many products. In general, I would say that most people use them in one form or another. But how safe are they?

Multiple drugs are approved to treat cognitive disorders and diseases. Two of the most prominent areas that nootropics treat are ADHD and diseases with memory degradation, like Alzheimer’s disease. We understand enough about how the brain works and how these drugs work to know that targeting neurotransmitters is essential for communication within the body. Specifically,

“Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transfer information between neurons and help neurons communicate with one another… Dopamine helps regulate the feelings of pleasure (euphoria and satisfaction) and also plays an important role in controlling movement, cognition, motivation, and reward. Stimulant use also causes the brain to release norepinephrine, which helps regulate mood, attention, learning, memory, and arousal…The prescription stimulants methylphenidate and d-amphetamine increase dopamine signaling—methylphenidate by blocking dopamine transporters and d-amphetamine by enhancing dopamine release from nerve terminals.”

One of the defining symptoms of ADHD is the inability to maintain attention or focus. Drugs used to treat ADHD are categorized as stimulants and non-stimulants. Stimulants are typically drugs like methylphenidate and amphetamines, which increase levels of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Non-stimulant drugs increase levels of norepinephrine and include selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and alpha-2 adrenergic agonists. Non-stimulants take longer to work than stimulants do.

Other medications are directed at treating memory issues. The main symptom that people attribute to Alzheimer’s is memory loss, and our understanding of the biological underpinnings of memory is incomplete.

There are new monoclonal antibody treatments for Alzheimer’s disease (lecanemab and donanemab) that can be classified as nootropics. These drugs target a type of amyloid protein and train the immune system to target and clear it. The broad idea behind this is that the amyloid can sometimes clump together and produce plaques that may be responsible for the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, the hallmark of which is memory degradation.

There are certain foods that may be a part of your everyday routine that could be considered nootropics: coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, and chocolate. All contain caffeine, a stimulant that increases the release of neurotransmitters, including those linked with attention.

Source: ACSH Explains: Nootropics

I haven't looked into whether anyone is studying this in a scientific way. I hope so. But basically, there are a lot of medications that have different effects on autistic people than non-autistic people.

There's a chicken and the egg problem with the neurological wiring in autistic adults- there are differences in brain function, but so far, no one can say that the brain forms that way because of some kind of initial biological difference, OR that the brain ends up that way because of patterns set in place by the person's behavior.

For example- One could have a worn spot in their jeans that is put there when the jeans are created, or the worn spot could be made by years of carrying a particular item in the jeans pocket.

So either way, by the time you are an autistic adult, your brain is somewhat different from, say, my NT brain. It will matter with some medications, and matter enough to need adjustments. But this can be true from NT to NT as well.

There was a specific medication that was prescribed years ago to me, my sister, and my husband for various reasons by various doctors. My sister became relaxed when taking it, I behaved like a jerk, and my husband became stupid. She and I are NT and he is autistic. It was the same medication, same dose, and we are all similar in size.

When I handed my (private) ASD diagnosis in to my NHS doctor, she said antidepressants and sedatives were the only thing she could do for me. To date I haven't taken her up on her offer. I don't trust psych meds. Even when somebody gave me a couple of amphetamine tablets so I could stay awake at a gig, I didn't dare to eat them.

I don't know if they've looked at psilocybin for autism yet. Probably dangerous in the wrong hands, but when mushrooms were legal I used to take them for recreational purposes. I noticed they had an empathogenic effect, which could be useful in ASD, and as they were wearing off I always felt as if they'd cleaned out my mind somehow. But it wouldn't be responsible of me to recommend psilocybin. For all I know it could go horribly wrong.

I've heard of risperidone (an antipsychotic) being given to autistic kids to treat irritability.

I took risperidone for a few months to try and treat my motor tics. Unfortunately I felt tired all the time and also had significant nausea. So it was back to the haloperidol which I still take now.

Been playing around with Nootropics since the 1970s usually some of it was done as I could afford, as i did not make much money then. Used myself as a guinee pig ...Would not used any pharmacuetical mental health medicine ever again..What I have learned has been hard work.......Good Mushroom Nootropics and vitamins that support that . And
stumble on Actylcohline production long ago in the first year. And adaptogens. , every aspie seems to need NAC , i believe.
Racetams, DMAe.. topical use of DMg . Mag stim (rTMS)to the ,pre frontal cortex. All in all the nootropic supplements snd functional stuff seem to work. And these does not address normal vitamin requirements , by any means, just a add on. Beware , you can give yourself a head headache with this stuff..Start slow,incase you decide.Read about this stuff.
it maynot be for you ?? . Then check and see if you bloodthick,ness , checked by microscope.
Doesn't thin out ,,,If you use mucinex allergy products . Guafenesin/phenylephrine is optional as part of this otc allergy supplement.psuedoephedrine; not recommended to those with .high bloodpressre
Seems most Aspie has thick. blood. ( old persons blood}
[[Disclaimer: If you start on a new protocol ,Always check with your health practicioner first.]]
Above is strictly my opinion based on my experiences.