Science

Kanwaljit Singh, Susan L. Connors, Eric A. Macklin, Kirby D. Smith, Jed W. Fahey, Paul Talalay, and Andrew W. Zimmerman

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), characterized by both impaired communication and social interaction, and by stereotypic behavior, affects about 1 in 68, predominantly males. The medico-economic burdens of ASD are enormous, and no recognized treatment targets the core features of ASD. In a placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial, young men (aged 13- 27) with moderate to severe ASD received the phytochemical sulforaphane (n = 29), derived from broccoli sprout extracts, or indistinguishable placebo (n = 15). The effects on behavior of daily oral doses of sulforaphane (50-150 μmol) for 18 weeks, followed by 4 weeks without treatment, were quantified by three widely-accepted behavioral measures completed by parents/caregivers and physicians: Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), and Clinical Global Impression Improvement Scale (CGI-I). Initial scores for ABC and SRS were closely matched for participants assigned to placebo and sulforaphane. After 18 weeks, participants receiving placebo experienced minimal change (