[Early infantile autism and its biochemistry].

In the first part of this paper the different orientations of biochemical research in early infantile autism are recalled. The most significant results of these studies concerning the dopaminergic, noradrenergic and indolaminergic (serotonin, efflux, uptake) systems as well as the various enzymatic complexes are also reviewed. In the second part, the methodologic problems which arise in biochemical research in the field of autism are addressed.