AUTISTIC DISORDER AND THE ENDOGENOUS OPIOID SYSTEM

The elevated activity of brain opioids has been implicated in the path ogenesis of autistic disorder. Research on plasma and cerebrospinal fl uid levels of endogenous opioids in subjects with autistic disorder ha s produced conflicting results. The author suggests that the level of brain opioid activity is a contributing but not the determining factor in the pathogenesis of autistic disorder. The author further suggests that the development of autistic disorder is related to the interacti on between the endogenous opioid system and various neurotransmitter s ystems in the brain.