title: Monoamine oxidase activity in blood platelets from autistic children.
abstract: In order to evaluate the possible abnormality in monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in early infantile autism, blood platelet samples were obtained from 20 autistic children, aged 2--12 years. MAO activity, measured fluorometrically using serotonin as substrate, was 5.24 +/- 1.65 (Mean +/- Standard Deviation) nM/MG protein/hour in these autistic children. This value was not significantly different from either that in 30 age-matched normal children or that in 39 nonautistic children with various psychiatric and neurological disorders, although autistic children had higher platelet serotonin concentration than these nonautistic individuals.
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000201:enzymology*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000201:enzymology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase / Q000097:blood*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D008995:Monoamine Oxidase