Lake C R, Ziegler M G, Murphy D L
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1977 May;34(5):553-6. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1977.01770170063005.
The sympathetic nervous system was evaluated in 11 primary autistic patients and their families. The plasma levels of norepinephrine (NE), the neurotransmitter of the sympathetic nervous system, was higher in the patients than in age-controlled normal volunteers both while supine and after standing. The plasma activity of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase, the enzyme that converts dopamine to NE, was significantly lower in the autistic patients and their healthy relatives than in control groups. Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase does not appear to provide an index of sympathetic activity in this group of patients who, on the basis of the elevated plasma levels of NE, may demonstrate a chronic state of hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system. Low enzyme activity found in both the autistic patients and their immediate families may be associated with this disorder.
对11名原发性自闭症患者及其家人的交感神经系统进行了评估。交感神经系统的神经递质去甲肾上腺素（NE）的血浆水平，在患者仰卧时和站立后均高于年龄匹配的正常志愿者。将多巴胺转化为NE的酶——多巴胺-β-羟化酶的血浆活性，在自闭症患者及其健康亲属中显著低于对照组。在这组患者中，多巴胺-β-羟化酶似乎不能作为交感神经活动的指标，基于NE血浆水平升高，这些患者可能表现出交感神经系统慢性多动状态。在自闭症患者及其直系亲属中发现的低酶活性可能与这种疾病有关。
