WHOLE BLOOD SEROTONIN IN AUTISTIC AND NORMAL SUBJECTS

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Abstract
Whole blood serotonin and tryptophan were measured in 87 normal subjects and in 40 autistic subjects. Whole blood serotonin concentration (mean ± SE) were significantly higher in drug-free (N= 21) autistics (205 ± 16 ng/ml) that in normal (136 ± 5.4 ng/ml) The Gaussian distribution of serotonin level of the unmidicated autistic group suggests the elevation was not due to a subgroup of autistic subject Autistics medicated with medicated with anticonvulsants or neuroleptics had significantly lower serortonin levels than did drug-free autistic subjects Whole blood trytophan levels and platelet counts were similar in the autistic and normal groups. The possible cause of the hyerserotonemia of autism are discussed