We enrolled 18 male adults with high-functioning autism and 20 typically developed (TD) male subjects. We tested this hypothesis using magnetic resonance spectroscopy and positron emission tomography scan with 11C-SCH23390 for dopamine D1 receptors in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). The amplified glutamate signals may arise from enhanced glutamatergic circuits, which can be affected by astrocyte activation and suppressive signaling of dopamine neurotransmission.
Increased excitatory neuronal tones have been implicated in autism, but its mechanism remains elusive.
