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Difference between plasma N- and C-terminally directed beta-endorphin immunoreactivity in infantile autism.
- Source :
-
The American journal of psychiatry [Am J Psychiatry] 1994 Dec; Vol. 151 (12), pp. 1797-801. - Publication Year :
- 1994
-
Abstract
- Objective: The authors investigated whether there is excessive opioid activity in infantile autism by measuring plasma beta-endorphin in patients with autism compared with patients who had Rett's syndrome and normal comparison subjects.<br />Methods: Radioimmunoassays for beta-endorphin using C-terminally and N-terminally directed antisera were applied to plasma samples from 67 children who met both DSM-III-R and ICD-10 diagnostic criteria for infantile autism, 22 girls with Rett's syndrome, and 67 normal children matched in age and sex with the children with autism.<br />Results: Median N-terminally directed beta-endorphin immunoreactivity appeared to be slightly lower in subjects with autism (7 pg/ml) and clearly higher in the girls with Rett's syndrome (40 pg/ml) than in the comparison subjects (9 pg/ml). Median C-terminally directed beta-endorphin immunoreactivity was higher in the girls with Rett's syndrome (35 pg/ml) and much higher in patients with autism (70 pg/ml) than in comparison subjects (8 pg/ml).<br />Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the existence of a wide discrepancy between C- and N-terminally directed beta-endorphin immunoreactivity among children with autism. Despite the fact that the nature of the antigen recognized in the plasma of autistic children by the C-terminally directed anti-beta-endorphin serum remains to be characterized, the difference between C- and N-terminally directed beta-endorphin immunoreactivity might suggest an abnormal processing of the pro-opiomelanocortin gene in infantile autism.
- Subjects :
- Adolescent
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone blood
Adult
Child
Child, Preschool
Dopamine blood
Dynorphins blood
Enkephalin, Leucine blood
Enkephalin, Methionine blood
Epinephrine blood
Female
Humans
Male
Norepinephrine blood
Opioid Peptides blood
Peptide Termination Factors
Pro-Opiomelanocortin genetics
Pro-Opiomelanocortin metabolism
Radioimmunoassay
Rett Syndrome blood
beta-Endorphin biosynthesis
beta-Endorphin genetics
Autistic Disorder blood
beta-Endorphin blood
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0002-953X
- Volume :
- 151
- Issue :
- 12
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The American journal of psychiatry
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 7977888
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1176/ajp.151.12.1797