A number of chemical messengers, such as various hormones and hormone-like substances, along with neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, are directly or indirectly linked with the encoding of social behavior via their action at the amygdala, hippocampus, and other related brain structures known to be involved in different aspects of social development. It is thought that any imbalance in the secretion and action of these chemicals may lead to defective or abnormal social behaviors that are the hallmarks of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). Many of the studies have described an association between ASDs and endocrine dysfunction, but have failed to establish a cause-effect connection between these 2 conditions. All together, the literature regarding the role of endocrine-related factors and ASDs is sparse and remains somewhat preliminary, controversial, and inconclusive. Thus, more research is needed in the future to shed more light on this topic.

许多化学信使，例如各种激素和激素样物质，以及神经递质，例如血清素、多巴胺和去甲肾上腺素，通过它们在杏仁核、海马和其他已知参与社会发展不同方面的相关大脑结构。人们认为，这些化学物质的分泌和作用的任何不平衡都可能导致有缺陷或异常的社会行为，而这些都是自闭症谱系障碍 (ASD) 的标志。许多研究描述了 ASD 与内分泌功能障碍之间的关联，但未能在这两种情况之间建立因果关系。全部一起，关于内分泌相关因素和 ASD 作用的文献很少，并且仍然有些初步、有争议和不确定。因此，未来需要更多的研究来阐明这个主题。