CSF BETA-ENDORPHIN LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH INFANTILE-AUTISM

We measured CSF levels of beta-endorphin, an opioid hormone in 19 pati ents with infantile autism and in 3 patients with Rett syndrome, and c ompared them with control values. In infantile autism, CSF levels of b eta-endorphin did not differ significantly from those of age-matched c ontrols. There was no significant correlation between CSF levels and c linical symptoms, including self-injurious behavior pain insensitivity , and stereotyped movement. However, CSF levels; of beta-endorphin wer e significantly higher in the patients with syndrome than in the contr ol (p < .05). Data suggest that neurons containing beta-endorphin may not be involved in patients with infantile autism. Thus, there is no r elationship between dysfunction of brain opioid and autism.