title: Monoamines (serotonin and catecholamines) and their derivatives in infantile autism: age-related changes and drug effects.
abstract: Levels of dopamine (DA) and its derivatives homovanillic acid (HVA), 3-4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), 3-methoxytyramine (3MT) and norepinephrine+epinephrine (NE + E), and serotonin (5HT) and its derivative 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5HIAA) were determined from the urine of 156 autistic children aged two to 12 years 6 months, and compared with those of age-matched mentally retarded non-autistic and normal controls. Very significant group and age effects were found for DA, HVA, 3MT, NE + E and 5HT. High HVA, 3MT, NE + E and 5HT levels were found in autistic and non-autistic children. The DA, HVA, 3MT, NE + E, 5HT and 5HIAA levels decreased significantly with age in the three groups. Significantly decreased levels of DA and HVA were observed in autistic children on haloperidol, compared with non-medicated autistic children. The results are discussed in relation to the hypothesis of a maturation defect of monoaminergic systems in autism.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, Tours, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martineau
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barthélémy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jouve
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Muh
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lelord
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000652:urine; D000367:Age Factors; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000652:urine; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004298:Dopamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000652:urine; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology / Q000652:urine; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; C001746:3-methoxytyramine; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid