CSF beta-endorphin levels in patients with infantile autism.
We measured CSF levels of beta-endorphin, an opioid hormone, in 19 patients with infantile autism and in 3 patients with Rett syndrome, and compared them with control values. In infantile autism, CSF levels of beta-endorphin did not differ significantly from those of age-matched controls. There was no significant correlation between CSF levels and clinical symptoms, including self-injurious behavior, pain insensitivity, and stereotyped movement. However, CSF levels of beta-endorphin were significantly higher in the patients with Rett syndrome than in the control (p < .05). Data suggest that neurons containing beta-endorphin may not be involved in patients with infantile autism. Thus, there is no relationship between dysfunction of brain opioid and autism.
Nagamitsu
S
S
Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
Matsuishi
T
T
Kisa
T
T
Komori
H
H
Miyazaki
M
M
Hashimoto
T
T
Yamashita
Y
Y
Ohtaki
E
E
Kato
H
H
D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D015518:Rett Syndrome / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D013239:Stereotyped Behavior; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D001615:beta-Endorphin