A compound derived from broccoli seems to be beneficial in certain behavioral and social symptoms associated with autism, a new study reports.

Preliminary findings from the small study indicated that people who took a daily dose of sulforaphane displayed noticeable improvements in certain aspects of daily functioning. Sulforaphane is a compound that is extracted from broccoli and was given to participants of the study in pill form.

The study included 44 young men, ages ranging from 13 through 27, with autism. The test group was given a daily dose of sulforaphane pills for 18 weeks. The control group was given a placebo to take for this same amount of time. Personnel in the lab were unaware which group was receiving the placebo and which was receiving the extracted compound.

Within four weeks, parents and staff began noticing improvements in certain symptoms of those taking the extract. Communication increased while issues like irritability, hyperactivity and repetitive behaviors decreased.

Data revealed that 46 percent of those taking the compound showed improved social interactions while 42 percent displayed better verbal skills by the end of the testing period. Various other behaviors, described as “aberrant,” were lessened in 54 percent of those in the testing group.

No improvements for verbal or social interactions were measured in the control group for this study though nine percent showed improvement in abnormal behaviors.

Within a few weeks of the study’s end, the recorded improvements began to taper off.

While the researchers for this study say that more work is done to understand if this approach is actually useful, they do think they have an idea why the treatment might help.

In some children with autism a reduction in certain behaviors has been observed while the child has had a fever. Referred to as the “fever effect,” this phenomena is believed to be the result of the bodies reaction to the fever and subsequent attempts to protect itself from distress.

Researchers theorize that the sulforaphane in broccoli activates the same response in the body.