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 (BH4) 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 BH4 levels in CSF were increased in all children with improvement in the ADI-R score.
In contrast, no patient without the elevation of the BH4 level showed improvement in the score. These findings suggest that secretin activated
metabolic turnover of dopamine in the central nervous system via BH4, improving symptoms.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
May 25,
2005
Received in revised form:
May 25,
2005
Received:
October 20,
2004
Identification
Copyright
© 2005 Elsevier B.V. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
