Lithium trial offers new hope for specific autism subtype

This study tested whether lithium, a medication, could improve social communication difficulties in children with a specific genetic condition called Phelan-McDermid syndrome, which causes autism. Twenty-two children received either lithium or a placebo for 12 weeks to see if it helped with core autism symptoms. The goal was to see if targeting the underlying genetic cause could offer a new treatment approach for this and potentially other forms of autism.