Serotonin and amino acid content in platelets of autistic children

Abstract
The platelet levels of serotonin and the amino acids aspartic acid, glutamine, glutamic acid and gamma‐aminobutyric acid were measured in 18 drug‐free autistic (DSM‐III criteria) and 14 age‐matched healthy children. Serotonin was significantly increased while the amino acids aspartic acid, glutamine, glutamic acid and gamma‐aminobutyric acid were significantly decreased in comparison with the controls. It is suggested that the decline of the amino acids in platelets from autistic children represents a biochemical marker related to infantile autism.