CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID LEVELS OF HOMOVANILLIC-ACID AND 5-HYDROXYINDOLEACETIC ACID IN AUTISM

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of the serotonin and dopamine metabolites, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) and homovanillic acid (HVA), respectively, were measured in a group of 17 children with Aut istic Disorder (DSM-III-R). The group means observed for 5HIAA (135 +/ - 91 nmol/L) and HVA (502 +/- 324 nmol/L) in the autistic children wer e not significantly different from those seen in the control group of 15 nonneurologically impaired children (5HIAA, 122 +/- 120 nmol/L; HVA 401 +/- 378 nmol/L). These data suggest that consistent, marked alter ations in central serotonin and dopamine turnover are not present in t he autistic subjects studied. Although studies to date have found litt le or no alteration in CSF 5-HIAA in autism, the various reports of CS F HVA are not entirely congruent. Although this study is consistent wi th most previous studies in not finding a group difference in CSF HVA, the possibility of increased CSF HVA in autism cannot be ruled out.