Urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and whole blood serotonin and tryptophan in autistic and normal subjects
Biological PsychiatryPublished 1 August 1987
Ruud B. Minderaa, George M. Anderson, Fred R. Volkmar, Grard W. Akkerhuis, Donald J. Cohen
Citations51
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score4.68
SNIP2.24
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TL;DR
Urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid excretion and whole blood serotonin (5-HT) and tryptophan (TRP) were measured and the relevance of these findings to the possibility that increased gut production of 5-HT might cause the elevated whole blood 5- HT levels seen in autism is discussed.
Abstract
Urinary 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) excretion in two consecutive collection periods (5:00 PM-11:00 PM and 11:00 PM-8:00 AM) and whole blood serotonin (5-HT) and tryptophan (TRP) were measured in groups of unmedicated autistics (n = 16), medicated autistics (n = 20), and normal controls (n = 27). Whole blood 5-HT values were significantly higher in unmedicated autistics compared to normal controls. No significant differences were found in 5-HIAA excretion (microgram/mg creatinine, mean +/- SD) between unmedicated autistics (4.07 +/- 1.52) and normal controls (3.50 +/- 1.07), or between medicated (5.35 +/- 2.93) and drug-free autistic individuals. No correlations were found between 5-HT values and urinary 5-HIAA excretion. Urinary 5-HIAA (microgram/mg creatinine, mean +/- SD) was significantly greater in hyperserotonemic autistic subjects (4.88 +/- 0.87) compared to normal controls (3.50 +/- 1.07, total collection period; p = 0.002). The relevance of these findings to the possibility that increased gut production of 5-HT might cause the elevated whole blood 5-HT levels seen in autism is discussed.
Keywords
MedicineNeuroscience
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