Effects of fluoxetine treatment on striatal dopamine transporter binding and cerebrospinal fluid insulin-like growth factor-1 in children with autism.
A positive effect of fluoxetine has been shown in some children with autism. The present study was undertaken to correlate striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) binding and cerebrospinal fluid insulin-like growth factor-1 (CSF-IGF-1) with clinical response in autistic children (n=13, age 5-16 years) after a 6-month fluoxetine treatment. Good clinical responders (n=6) had a decrease (p=0.031) in DAT binding as assessed using single-photon emission computed tomography with [123I]-nor-β-CIT, whereas poor responders had a trend to an increase. An increase in CSF-IGF-1 (p=0.003) was detected after the treatment period, but no correlation between the clinical response and CSF-IGF-1 was found. In conclusion, fluoxetine decreases DAT binding indicating alleviation of the hyperdopaminergic state and increases CSF-IGF-1 concentration, which may also have a neuroprotective effect against dopamine-induced neurotoxicity in autistic children.
Department of Pediatrics, Unit of Child Neurology, Kuopio University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
I
I
Makkonen
H
H
Kokki
J
J
Kuikka
U
U
Turpeinen
R
R
Riikonen
D000293:Adolescent; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D005473:Fluoxetine; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors