title: Reduction of elevated CSF beta-endorphin by fenfluramine in infantile autism.
abstract: Fenfluramine therapy has been reported to improve behavior in infantile autism and has been associated with a decrease in abnormally increased blood serotonin content. The primary central effect has not been proved to be serotonergic. Beta-endorphin is involved in the anorexic effect of fenfluramine and may play a role in autism. Nine children with infantile autism were treated with fenfluramine in double-blind, placebo-crossover design. Transient anorexia was the only adverse effect. Autistic behavior was reported to improve in three patients, but objective psychometric tests were unchanged. Beta-endorphin-like immunoreactivity was determined in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid of patients during and before or after treatment with fenfluramine and then was compared to normal controls. Beta-endorphin was elevated significantly in the baseline autistic group (p less than .005) and was reduced toward control values during fenfluramine treatment. The results are consistent with a role for beta-endorphin in infantile autism and in the mechanism of fenfluramine treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati, Ohio.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Klykylo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hitzemann
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D005277:Fenfluramine; D001615:beta-Endorphin