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CSF Monoamines in Autistic Syndromes and Other Pervasive Developmental Disorders of Early Childhood

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 January 2018

C. Gillberg  and
L Svennerholm
C. Gillberg*
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, East Hospital, University of Göteborg
L Svennerholm
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, St Jörgens Hospital, University of Göteborg
*
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. East Hospital. University of Gdteborg, Box 7284, S-402 35 Goteborg, Sweden
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Extract

Spinal fluid concentrations of the three major monoamine metabolites were examined in 25 infantile autistic children and 12 children with other childhood psychoses, and were contrasted with results obtained in normal children and in groups of children with neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders. Autistic children showed absolute and relative increases of the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid. The group with other childhood psychoses also showed an increase in HVA level; in this group there were also indications of high levels of serotonin and norepinephrine metabolites. The results are discussed in the context of a pathogenetic model for autism involving hyperfunction of dopaminergic nerve fibres in the brain stem-mesolimbic system.

Type
Papers
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 151 , Issue 1 , July 1987 , pp. 89 - 94
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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