A double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised-designed GABA tea study in children diagnosed with autism spectrum conditions: a feasibility study clinical trial registration: ISRCTN 72571312

ABSTRACT

Objective: The research has shown an association with sensorimotor integration and symptomology of Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC). Specific areas of the brain that are involved in sensorimotor integration, such as the cerebellum and basal ganglia, are pathologically different in individuals with ASC in comparison to typically developing (TD) peers. These brain regions contain GABAergic inhibitory neurons that release an inhibitory neurotransmitter, γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA). Brain GABA levels are decreased in ASC. This study explored the effect of introducing a non-invasive GABA substitute, in the form of GABA Oolong tea, on sensorimotor skills, ASC profiles, anxieties and sleep of children with ASC.

Methods: Nine children took part: (5 male, 4 female). Each child participated in three tea conditions: high GABA, high L-Theanine (a compound that increases GABA), placebo with low GABA. A double-blind, repeated measures design was employed. Measures were taken after each tea condition. Sensory and ASC profiles were scored using parental questionnaires. Motor skills were assessed using a gold standard coordination assessment. Sleep was monitored using an actiwatch and anxiety measured through cortisol assays. Subjective views were sought from parents on ‘best’ tea.

Results: The results showed significant improvement in manual dexterity and some large individual improvements in balance, sensory responsivity, DSM-5 criteria and cortisol levels with GABA tea. Improvements were also seen in the L-Theanine condition although they were more sporadic.

Conclusions: These results suggest that sensorimotor abilities, anxiety levels and DSM-5 symptomology of children with ASC can benefit from the administration of GABA in the form of Oolong tea.

KEYWORDS:

• Autism
• motor coordination
• sensory
• sleep
• anxiety
• GABA
• tea

Acknowledgements

This work was funded by Coventry University, UK. Local Support groups and Parents Mei Leaf Tea, 99-105 Camden High Street, London, NW1 7JN, UK.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, PH. The data are not publicly available due to restrictions as their containing information could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Notes on contributors

Having worked in biochemical research for a short period of time, Dr Penelope Hannant's career began as a class teacher progressing very quickly to senior management and ultimately headship, where she became an outstanding headteacher. During her 18 years in education she became specifically interested in how children learn and how to support any difficulties and so became a specialist teacher working in the autism outreach team, in addition to widening her skills as a speech, language and communication specialist and a specific learning difficulties assessor. Her interest led her to take further qualifications in both psychology and counselling and so her academic career began. She is now working as a research fellow at Coventry University and also lectures on Special Educational Needs at the University of Birmingham, while continuing to assess and support children in schools.

Dr Sarah Cassidy holds a BSc (Hons) from the University of St Andrews, and an MSc and PhD from the University of Nottingham. Before joining Nottingham as an Assistant Professor in 2017, Sarah spent two years as a post-doctoral researcher at the Autism Research Centre (ARC), University of Cambridge, before starting her own research group at Coventry University. She is currently a visiting researcher in the ARC Cambridge, and the Institute of Neuroscience at Newcastle University, collaborating on a number of projects exploring mental health and suicidality in autism. She is the Principal Investigator on the Mental Health in Autism project funded by the ESRC, and the first Psychological Autopsy in Autism funded by NIHR-CLAHRC and Autistica.

Prof Derek Renshaw obtained his PhD in 2001 from the Department of Endocrinology at Bart's and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London. Since then he has completed post-doctoral posts within the University of London in areas including wound healing, appetite regulation and inflammation. Derek works on models of inflammation and particularly the area of pro-resolution with a focus on Annexin A1 protein. He secured a lecturership in physiology at the University of Westminster in September 2007 and began to develop an independent academic research career. Derek continued to work in the area of inflammation and pursued a number of research areas including work on salivary biomarkers, the inflammation associated with adiposity and the use of anti-inflammatory substances as therapeutic agents. Derek has also led a number of commercialisation projects including a wound healing project investigating novel combinations of peptides in human tissue repair. Another externally funded project involved the development of a micro-particle-based nutrient delivery platform for the oral delivery of iron. Derek was also the Lead Academic of a Technology Strategy Board (now Innovate UK) funded by Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) grant between the University of Westminster and Nelsons Spatone®. In recognition of his achievements in the area of enterprise in January 2012, Derek was awarded the School of Life Sciences Entrepreneurial Prize Fellowship, which involved the co-ordination and academic leadership of all enterprise activities within the School of Life Sciences at the University of Westminster. In 2015, Derek joined the Centre for Applied Biological and Exercise Sciences at Coventry University as a Professor of Translational Physiology and now provides academic leadership for the theme of Health and Disease within the research centre.

Dr Anna Joyce completed a BSc (Hons) in psychology at Coventry University, and an MSc in cognitive neuropsychology at University College London. She was awarded her PhD from the Institute of Education, London, in 2013, where she researched sleep problems in children with Down syndrome and Williams syndrome and the effects of sleep on learning and cognition. She is currently a research fellow in the Centre for Innovative Research Across the Life-course (CIRAL) at Coventry University. She leads research investigating sleep and associated cognitive abilities in children, including children with neurodevelopmental disorders. She is the principle investigator on a Baily Thomas-funded project: Sleeping well, thinking well; do changes in sleep affect executive functioning in children with intellectual disability?

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by Coventry University, UK.