There may be good news for individuals with autism looking to treat some of their symptoms, new   Recent studies of suramin, a drug originally used in the early 19^th century to treat sleeping sickness, indicate that it may be able to alleviate some of autism’s symptoms.  Research on suramin, led by Dr. Robert Naviaux, is still in the early stages.  Naviaux’s earlier tests of suramin on mice with autism managed to alleviate their symptoms, and human trials have recently begun.

 Despite extensive research on the topic, few treatments for autism work effectively.  Naviaux was inspired to look for a potential link between suramin use and autism when he realized that suramin use affected similar parts of the brain as those affected by autism.  Although the initial pool of human test subjects was very small, every child participant showed remarkable improvement, both cognitively and emotionally.  These results were temporary, lasting only about three weeks before wearing off.  However, this research is still in its very early stages.  If future research continues to indicate benefits from suramin, individuals with autism may finally have an effective treatment for any undesirable symptoms.