title: Plasma growth hormone response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia in infantile autism: a pilot study.
abstract: Plasma growth hormone responses to insulin-induced hypoglycemia were examined in eight preschool-age autistic children. Six of these children were examined on two separate occasions: during the period of baseline evaluation and after 4 weeks of daily haloperidol administration. On at least one occasion, half of this small sample exhibited persistent elevation of growth hormone levels, with a failure to return to baseline values over the course of a 135-minute period postinsulin infusion. These data are consistent with the occurrence of hypothalamic dysfunction in subgroups of autistic children. Short-term administration of haloperidol did not diminish the ability of the pituitary to secrete growth hormone in response to insulin-induced hypoglycemia.
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Deutsch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Poland
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Rubin
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000503:physiopathology; D007328:Insulin; D008297:Male; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D013006:Growth Hormone; D006220:Haloperidol