Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Depressed lymphocyte responsiveness in autistic children

  • Articles
  • Published:
Journal of autism and childhood schizophrenia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Although there are associations linking autism with prenatal rubella, cytomegalovirus, syphilis, and varicella, the etiology of the autistic state remains obscure. Host defense against the etiologic agents postulated to be responsible for the autism-associated syndromes is believed to be primarily of the cell-mediated type. In this preliminary study, cellular immune function was assessed in vitro by phytohemagglutinin (PHA)stimulation of lymphocyte cultures. Twelve autistic children and 13 control subjects were compared. The autistic group exhibited a depressed lymphocyte transformation response to PHA when compared to the control subjects (p<.01).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Chess, S., Korn, S. J., & Fernandez, P. B.Psychiatric disorders of children with congenital rubella. New York: Brunner/Mazel, 1971.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desmond, M. M., Wilson, G. S., Verniaud, W. M., Melnick, J. L., & Rawls, W. E. The early growth and development of infants with congenital rubella.Advances in Teratology, 1970,4, 39–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feldman, R. B., Pinsky, L., Mendelson, J., & Lajoie, R. Language disorder from prenatal rubella.Pediatrics, 1973,52, 296–299.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fessel, W. J., Autoimmunity and mental illness.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1962,6, 320–323.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fessel, W. J. The “antibrain” factors in psychiatric patients' sera.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1963,8, 614–621.

    Google Scholar 

  • Han, T., & Pauly, J. Simplified whole blood method for evaluating in vitro lymphocyte reactivity of laboratory animals.Clinical and Experimental Immunology, 1972,11, 137–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Heath, R. J., & Krupp, I. M. Schizophrenia as an immunologic disorder.Archives of General Psychiatry, 1967,16, 1–33.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knobloch, H., & Pasamanick, B.Gesell and Amatruda's developmental diagnosis (3rd ed.). New York: Harper & Row, 1974.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luria, E. A., & Domashneva, I. V. Antibodies to thymocytes in sera of patients with schizophrenia.Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, USA, 1974,71, 235–236.

    Google Scholar 

  • Money, J., Bobrow, N. A., & Clarke, F. C. Autism and autoimmune disease: A family study.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 1971,1, 146–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel, S.Nonparametric statistics. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1956.

    Google Scholar 

  • South, M. A., & Alford, C. A., Jr. Congenital intrauterine infections. In E. R. Stiehm & V. A. Fulginiti (Eds.),Immunologie disorders in infants and children. Philadelphia: Saunders, 1973.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stubbs, E. G. Autistic children exhibit undetectable hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titers despite previous rubella vaccination.Journal of Autism and Childhood Schizophrenia, 1976,6, 269–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vartanyan, M. E.Schizophrenia: Clinical aspects and pathogenesis. Moscow: Medgiz, 1969.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Surgical Research Laboratory, Veterans Administration Hospital, Portland, Oregon

    Denis R. Burger & Arthur A. Vandenbark

  2. Crippled Children's Division, University of Oregon Health Sciences Center, P.O. Box 574, 97207, Portland, Oregon

    E. Gene Stubbs & Mary Lou Crawford

Authors
  1. E. Gene Stubbs
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mary Lou Crawford
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Denis R. Burger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Arthur A. Vandenbark
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

This study was supported by research project 1164-01 from the Veterans Administration Hospital, Portland, Oregon, and also by Collins Medical Trust in Portland, Oregon, and MCH Training Grant #920.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Stubbs, E.G., Crawford, M.L., Burger, D.R. et al. Depressed lymphocyte responsiveness in autistic children. J Autism Dev Disord 7, 49–55 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531114

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01531114

Keywords

Search

Navigation