[Modifications in urinary homovanillic acid after ingestion of vitamin B6; functional study in autistic children (author's transl)]

Abstract

Basing their study on the investigations which led to the dopaminergic theory of the psychoses, the authors studied homovanillic acid (principal derivative from dopamine) levels in the urines of 37 autistic children, and 11 normal children acting as controls. The favourable action of vitamin B6 on autism, reported by anglosaxon authors, was confirmed in 15 of the children. Furthermore, vitamin B6 reduces homovanillic acid levels in 33 autistic chilren and increases them in all the control group children.