title: Noradrenergic and adrenergic functioning in autism.
abstract: A neurochemical assessment of noradrenergic and adrenergic functioning was carried out with autistic patients and normal control individuals. Norepinephrine and related compounds were measured in autistic (n = 17 unmedicated, 23 medicated; age range 9-29 years old) and normal controls (n = 27; age range 9-36 years old). Plasma levels and urinary excretion of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-phenylglycol (MHPG) were measured, as were urinary excretion rates of norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (EPI), and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA). No significant group mean differences were seen between the autistic and control groups. In both the autistic and control groups urinary excretion rates of norepinephrine and epinephrine were substantially higher in the afternoon-evening (5-11 PM) compared to the overnight (11 PM-7 AM) collection period. Based on our neurochemical assessment, marked abnormalities in basal noradrenergic functioning do not appear to be present in autism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Psychiatry, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Minderaa
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Volkmar
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Akkerhuis
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology*; D010640:Phenothiazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D010640:Phenothiazines; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid; C031637:phenothiazine; D006220:Haloperidol; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine