The study related to the neurophysical mechanism of high-functioning autism for using the method of neuroimaging and molecular biology

以确定5-羟色胺和多巴胺转运体结合的变化，这两种转运体是各自神经系统的高度选择性标记物。利用正电子发射断层扫描，我们测量了每个人的脑5-羟色胺和多巴胺转运体分别与放射性配体碳[11C]MCN-5652和[11C]Win-35,428的结合。参与者从社区招募。20名自闭症男性(年龄范围18-26岁；平均[SD]智商99.3[18.1])和20名年龄和智商匹配的对照组受试者。自闭症患者脑内5-羟色胺转运体结合量显著低于对照组(P_.05，校正后)。具体而言，自闭症患者的前后扣带回皮质的减少与社会认知功能的损害有关(P_.05，校正)。重复和/或强迫症行为和兴趣与丘脑5-羟色胺转运体结合减少之间也有显著的相关性(P_.05，校正)。相比之下，自闭症组眶前叶皮质的多巴胺转运体结合量显著高于对照组(P_.05，体素分析校正后)。在眶前叶皮质，多巴胺转运体结合量与5-羟色胺转运体结合量呈显著负相关(r=-0.61；P=0.004)。自闭症患者的大脑在5-羟色胺转运体和多巴胺转运体结合方面都存在异常。目前的发现表明，这些神经递质系统的严重异常可能是自闭症的神经生理学机制的基础。

To determine the occurrence of changes in the binding of serotonin and dopamine transporters, which are highly selective markers for their respective neuronal systems. Using positron emission tomography, we measured the binding of brain serotonin and dopamine transporters in each individual with the radioligands carbon [11C]McN-5652 and [11C]WIN-35,428, respectively. Participants recruited from the community. Twenty men (age range, 18-26 years ; mean [SD] IQ, 99.3 [18.1]) with autism and 20 age- and IQ matched control subjects. Serotonin transporter binding was significantly lower throughout the brain in autistic individuals compared with controls (P_.05, corrected). Specifically, the reduction in the anterior and posterior cingulated cortices was associated with the impairment of social cognition in the autistic subjects (P_.05, corrected). A significant correlation was also found between repetitive and/or obsessive behavior and interests and the reduction of serotonin transporter binding in the thalamus (P_.05, corrected). In contrast, the dopamine transporter binding was significantly higher in the orbitofrontal cortex of the autistic group (P_.05, corrected in voxelwise analysis). In the orbitofrontal cortex, the dopamine transporter binding was significantly inversely correlated with serotonin transporter binding (r=-0.61 ; P=.004). The brains of autistic individuals have abnormalities in both serotonin transporter and dopamine transporter binding. The present findings indicate that the gross abnormalities in these neurotransmitter systems may underpin the neurophysiologic mechanism of autism.