Autistic children and their first-degree relatives: Relationships between serotonin and norepinephrine levels and intelligence

E. H. Cook; B. L. Leventhal; W. Heller; J. Metz; M. Wainwright; D. X. Freedman

doi:10.1176/jnp.2.3.268

Autistic children and their first-degree relatives: Relationships between serotonin and norepinephrine levels and intelligence

E. H. Cook, B. L. Leventhal, W. Heller, J. Metz, M. Wainwright, D. X. Freedman

Pediatrics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

96 Scopus citations

Abstract

Whole-blood serotonin (5-HT) and plasma norepinephrine (NE) were studied in 16 autistic children, 21 siblings of autistic children, and 53 parents of autistic children. Both plasma NE and whole-blood 5-HT were negatively correlated with vocabulary performance. Whole-blood 5-HT and plasma NE did not differ between autistic children with or without histories of self-injurious behavior or decreased pain sensitivity. Eighteen subjects were hyperserotonemic (whole-blood 5-HT > 270 ng/ml). For these subjects, plasma NE was significantly higher than for subjects without hyperserotonemia. Seven of 10 families with one hyperserotonemic member had two or more hyperserotonemic members. Observations of familiality of whole-blood 5-HT suggest that larger-scale and more focused study of whole-blood 5-HT as a possible genetic marker may be productive.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	268-274
Number of pages	7
Journal	Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
Volume	2
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1176/jnp.2.3.268
State	Published - 1990

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Clinical Neurology
Psychiatry and Mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1176/jnp.2.3.268

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abstract = "Whole-blood serotonin (5-HT) and plasma norepinephrine (NE) were studied in 16 autistic children, 21 siblings of autistic children, and 53 parents of autistic children. Both plasma NE and whole-blood 5-HT were negatively correlated with vocabulary performance. Whole-blood 5-HT and plasma NE did not differ between autistic children with or without histories of self-injurious behavior or decreased pain sensitivity. Eighteen subjects were hyperserotonemic (whole-blood 5-HT > 270 ng/ml). For these subjects, plasma NE was significantly higher than for subjects without hyperserotonemia. Seven of 10 families with one hyperserotonemic member had two or more hyperserotonemic members. Observations of familiality of whole-blood 5-HT suggest that larger-scale and more focused study of whole-blood 5-HT as a possible genetic marker may be productive.",

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AU - Cook, E. H.

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AU - Heller, W.

AU - Metz, J.

AU - Wainwright, M.

AU - Freedman, D. X.

PY - 1990

Y1 - 1990

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Autistic children and their first-degree relatives: Relationships between serotonin and norepinephrine levels and intelligence

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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