Catecholamines metabolism in infantile autism: a controlled study of 22 autistic children.
Autistic kids store stress chemicals differently, but this won't change your ABA program.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Doctors drew blood from 22 autistic kids and 22 matched controls.
They measured catecholamines in plasma, platelets, and urine.
The kids were 3-12 years old with confirmed autism diagnoses.
What they found
Autistic kids had more catecholamines floating in their blood.
But their platelets stored less of these same chemicals.
Urine levels looked the same between groups.
How this fits with other research
Feinstein et al. (1988) found the same pattern in urine - different catecholamine profiles in autism.
This backs up Rutter et al. (1987) using a different body fluid.
Lord et al. (1986) measured dopamine enzymes one year earlier.
Their work set the stage for this bigger catecholamine panel.
van den Broek et al. (2006) tested adults under stress.
They found normal catecholamine responses despite blunted heart rate.
This extends the 1987 findings to show the pattern holds into adulthood.
Why it matters
These blood differences don't change how you run therapy today.
But they remind you that autistic bodies process stress chemicals differently.
Watch for signs of overstimulation during sessions.
Give longer breaks if a child seems overwhelmed.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
In a group of 22 autistic children aged 5 to 16 years and a group of normal controls matched for age and sex, catecholamines metabolism was investigated in plasma, platelets, and urine. This investigation was part of a research project in which several biological parameters (including serotonin) were explored simultaneously in the same children. In the autistic group, epinephrine and norepinephrine were significantly elevated in plasma, while epinephrin, norepinephrine, and dopamine were significantly lower in isolated platelets. No significant difference was found between the two groups for the urinary excretion of epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, DOPAC, and MHPG. Other differences between the two groups in the statistical correlations of several biochemical parameters also suggest abnormalities of bioamine metabolism in the platelets of autistic children.
Journal of autism and developmental disorders, 1987 · doi:10.1007/BF01487064