Childhood psychosis and monoamine metabolites in spinal fluid.
Determination of monoamine metabolites was accomplished in the spinal fluid of 22 psychotic children and in 22 sex- and almost-age-matched "normal" controls. Also, specimens from groups of mentally retarded children and children with progressive encephalopathy or meningitis were used for comparison. The psychotic children showed raised levels of homovanillic acid. Thirteen children diagnosed as autistic by Rutter's criteria showed isolated increase of this metabolite. In the group of 9 children with other psychoses, both the level of homovanillic acid and that of 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid was raised. The comparison with the group of "simply" mentally retarded children and results within the psychotic group revealed that the increased concentration of monoamines was not attributable to mental retardation per se.
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002547:Cerebral Palsy / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006018:Glycols / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D008581:Meningitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D006018:Glycols; D010648:Phenylacetates; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D006719:Homovanillic Acid