title: Plasma beta-endorphin levels, naltrexone, and haloperidol in autistic children.
abstract: Plasma beta-endorphin levels were measured in 13 autistic children, aged 3.67 to 11.67 years at the end of treatment (naltrexone, haloperidol, pimozide, or placebo) and in 5 of the 13 children also at baseline. Baseline plasma beta-endorphin levels were lower than those reported in the literature. There was a strong correlation between plasma beta-endorphin levels and severity of sterotypies in all children. Naltrexone did not seem to have a specific effect on plasma beta-endorphin levels; short-term haloperidol treatment was associated with an increase, whereas long-term haloperidol treatment seemed to have a depressive effect on plasma beta-endorphin levels, which rose after withdrawal of haloperidol.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University Medical Center, NY 10016.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Devi
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Small
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006220:Haloperidol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009271:Naltrexone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D009271:Naltrexone; D001615:beta-Endorphin; D006220:Haloperidol