URINARY LEVELS OF NEOPTERIN AND BIOPTERIN IN AUTISM

The pterins, neopterin and biopterin, occur naturally in body fluids i ncluding urine. It is well established that increased neopterin levels are associated with activation of the cellular immune system and that reduced biopterins are essential for neurotransmitter synthesis. It h as been suggested that some autistic children may be suffering from an autoimmune disorder. To investigate this further we performed high pe rformance liquid chromatography analyses of urinary pterins in a group of pre-school autistic children, their siblings and age-matched contr ol children. Both urinary neopterin and biopterin were raised in the a utistic children compared to controls and the siblings showed intermed iate values. This supports the possible involvement of cell-mediated i mmunity in the aetiology of autism. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.