Abstract
We evaluated the clinical effects of intravenously administered secretin in 12 children with autism (age range: 4–6 years, median age: 9 years, boy:girl=8:4). In addition, we investigated the association between improvement in symptoms and changes in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) homovanillic acid (HVA),5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA), and 6R-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-L-biopterin (BH 4) levels after administration. After administration of secretin, the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) score improved in 7 of the 12 children. However, the score deteriorated in 2 of the 12 children (in the item of ‘restricted and repetitive, stereotyped interests and behaviors’). The HVA and BH 4 levels in CSF were increased in all children with improvement in the ADI-R score. In contrast, no patient without the elevation of the BH 4 level showed improvement in the score. These findings suggest that secretin activated metabolic turnover of dopamine in the central nervous system via BH 4, improving symptoms.
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