Figure 1.

Serum levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), growth hormone (GH) and cortisol in normal controls and children with autism. (A) The serum levels of ACTH in subjects with autism (n = 32) were significantly higher (P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U-test) than those in normal controls (n = 34). Two autistic subjects had very high values, but there were no apparent differences in clinical parameters between these subjects and the others. (B) The serum levels of GH in subjects with autism (n = 32) were significantly higher (P = 0.002, Mann-Whitney U-test) than those in normal controls (n = 34). Four autistic subjects (which did not include the two with high ACTH) had very high GH values; again, there were no overt differences in clinical features between these four subjects and the others. (C) The serum levels of cortisol in subjects with autism (n = 32) were significantly higher (P = 0.004, Mann-Whitney U-test) than those in normal controls (n = 34). (D) Correlation between serum cortisol levels and ACTH levels in subjects with autism. There was a positive correlation (P < 0.001, Spearman's ρ_s = 0.562) between these hormone levels.