title: [Neurochemical and neurotransmitter studies in patients with learning disabilities].
abstract: To clarify the pathophysiology of learning disability (LD), we measured the urinary levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl glycol (MHPG), and phenylethylamine (PEA) in urine samples collected in a 24 hour period. Findings were compared with those obtained in age-matched controls and diseased controls including patients with attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), infantile autism, and mental retardation. The mean urinary level of MHPG in LD (n = 6) were not significantly different from those in ADHD (n = 16), mental retardation (n = 4), infantile autism (n = 5), and the controls (n = 6), while the mean urinary levels of PEA were significantly lower in LD (n = 6, 91 +/- 17.3 micrograms/mg) and in ADHD (n = 5, 65 +/- 53.6 micrograms/mg) as compared to age-matched controls (n = 3, 340 +/- 264.5 micrograms/mg) ANOVA, (p < 0.05). PEA is considered to play an important role for the pathogenesis of LD and ADHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University, School of Medicine, Fukuoka.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuishi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamashita
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000652:urine; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000652:urine; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000652:urine*; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000652:urine*; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D010649:Phenylalanine; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol