title: Cerebrospinal fluid gamma-aminobutyric acid in neurologic disease.
abstract: Cerebrospinal fluid gamma-aminobutyric acid (CSF GABA) was analyzed in 151 patients who underwent evaluation for central nervous system disease. CSF GABA was not detected in 19 of these patients, who had no evidence of neurologic disease and who served as controls. GABA was most frequently detected in patients with cerebrovascular disease, and was detected only in Parkinson's syndrome of atherosclerotic origin and dementia of multi-infarct type. CSF GABA was not detected in Alzheimer's disease or Huntington's disease. Patients with grand mal seizures exhibited CSF GABA elevation within 24 hours of the ictus. In patients with multiple sclerosis GABA detection was related to the presence or exacerbation of spinal cord lesions. Further study is necessary to evaluate the significance of elevated CSF GABA in central nervous system disease.
mesh_terms: D000613:Aminobutyrates / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D003704:Dementia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D004834:Epilepsy, Post-Traumatic / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D004833:Epilepsy, Temporal Lobe / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011128:Polyradiculopathy / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D013997:Time Factors; D005879:Tourette Syndrome / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D000613:Aminobutyrates; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid