RESUMO
The incidence of autism and cognitive disability was assessed in the biological siblings of 29 autistic probands subdivided on the basis of IQ. A significant clustering of autism and nonspecific intellectual retardation was found in the siblings of severely retarded autistic probands which was not present in the siblings of our higher-functioning autistic sample. These findings suggest that there may be etiological differences in autism, depending on the degree of associated mental retardation.
Assuntos
Transtorno Autístico/genética , Deficiência Intelectual/genética , Transtorno Autístico/complicações , Criança , Feminino , Humanos , Deficiência Intelectual/complicações , Masculino , Classe SocialAssuntos
Transtorno Autístico/tratamento farmacológico , Fenfluramina/uso terapêutico , Adolescente , Afeto , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Ensaios Clínicos como Assunto , Método Duplo-Cego , Feminino , Fenfluramina/efeitos adversos , Humanos , Hipercinese/tratamento farmacológico , Inteligência , MasculinoRESUMO
As part of a multicenter, collaborative project, response to fenfluramine was assessed in 10 autistic outpatients. After 4 months of treatment, blood serotonin concentrations decreased an average of 60 per cent and returned to pretreatment levels after 2 months on placebo. This reduction was accompanied by a decrease in certain behavioral symptoms, including motor activity, distractibility, and mood disturbances. Baseline evoked potential recordings indicated that autistic patients tended to have a larger amplitude of the P3 component to frequent tones as compared to age-matched controls. A tendency toward "normalization" of the P3 effect was observed during the medication trial and during the final placebo period. Treatment response was not related to initial serotonin levels, and no major clinical side effects were associated with fenfluramine.