Suppressed GABAergic inhibition as a common factor in suspected etiologies of autism.

The primary inhibitory and excitatory amino acid neurotransmitters are gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, respectively. Despite their pervasiveness in brain function and sensory processes, the amino acid neurotransmitters have received limited attention in the study of autism and related developmental disabilities. While the ubiquity of GABA and glutamate pathways in the CNS suggests that nearly every pathology will affect amino acid neurotransmission, the verification of specific impairments common to autism might help to intensify and narrow the focus of research.