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REVIEW article

Front. Psychiatry
Sec. Autism
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1451242
This article is part of the Research Topic Improving Outcomes in Autism Spectrum Disorders for Adults View all articles

Targeting the Circadian Modulation: Novel Therapeutic Approaches in the Management of ASD

Provisionally accepted
Yuxing Zhang Yuxing Zhang 1,2Yinan Chen Yinan Chen 2*Wu Li Wu Li 2*Liya Tang Liya Tang 2*Jiangshan Li Jiangshan Li 2*Xiang Feng Xiang Feng 2*
  • 1 University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, United States
  • 2 Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Anhui Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Circadian dysfunction is prevalent in neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A plethora of empirical studies demonstrate a strong correlation between ASD and circadian disruption, suggesting that modulation of circadian rhythms and the clocks could yield satisfactory advancements. Research indicates that circadian dysfunction associated with abnormal neurodevelopmental phenotypes in ASD individuals, potentially contribute to synapse plasticity disruption. Therefore, targeting circadian rhythms may emerge as a key therapeutic approach. In this study, we did a brief review of the mammalian circadian clock, and the correlation between the circadian mechanism and the pathology of ASD at multiple levels. In addition, we highlight that circadian is the target or modulator to participate in the therapeutic approaches in the management of ASD, such as phototherapy, melatonin, modulating circadian components, natural compounds, and chronotherapies. A deep understanding of the circadian clock's regulatory role in the neurodevelopmental phenotypes in ASD may inspire novel strategies for improving ASD treatment.

    Keywords: Circadian clock, Neurodevelopmental disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, therapeutic approaches, Chronotherapies

    Received: 18 Jun 2024; Accepted: 09 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhang, Chen, Li, Tang, Li and Feng. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yinan Chen, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, Anhui Province, China
    Wu Li, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, Anhui Province, China
    Liya Tang, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, Anhui Province, China
    Jiangshan Li, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, Anhui Province, China
    Xiang Feng, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, 410208, Anhui Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.