Potential biochemical markers for infantile autism

Neurochem Pathol. 1986 Aug;5(1):51-70. doi: 10.1007/BF03028036.

Abstract

Biochemical markers are crucial to the development of early diagnosis of infantile autism. The blood concentrations of neuroanalytes epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin were elevated in autistic subjects (n = 13) as compared to normal controls (n = 10). Autistic subjects had peptide patterns (peaks I-V, Sephadex G-25) that were different from those of normal controls. Methionine-enkephalin has been tentatively identified from fraction I of autistic subjects by HPLC as one of a large number of peptides that appears to be elevated. The HPLC chromatographic patterns of fraction V from all autistic subjects show a peak with retention time of 7.6 min. The HPLC of control urine fraction V revealed no comparable peaks.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Autistic Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Biogenic Amines / blood*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Chromatography, Gel
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Chromatography, Ion Exchange
  • Dopamine / blood
  • Epinephrine / blood
  • Humans
  • Norepinephrine / blood
  • Peptides / urine*
  • Serotonin / blood

Substances

  • Biogenic Amines
  • Peptides
  • Serotonin
  • Dopamine
  • Norepinephrine
  • Epinephrine