Homovanillic acid and 5-hydroxyindole-acetic acid in the csf of patients after a severe head injury. I. Lumbar csf concentration in chronic brain post-traumatic syndromes.
Lumbar CSF concentrations of homovanillic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxyindole-acetic acid (5HIAA) have been determined in ten patients suffering from chronic brain post-traumatic syndromes, at various length of time after the brain trauma. Lower concentrations of HVA (mean 21 +/- 14 mug/ml) compared to controls (mean 46 +/- 10 mug/ml) was observed in 7 cases; 5HIAA levels were within normal values. The 5HIAA/HVA ratio (1.59 +/- 0.66) was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than the one recorded in controls (0.66 +/- 0.10). Monitoring of lumbar HVA and 5HIAA over time, before, during and after L-dopa treatment, revealed interesting correlations between modification of clinical picture and the levels of monoamines acid metabolites. The data indicate a profound alteration of brain monoamines in chronic syndromes following a severe head injury and suggest that measurements of lumbar HVA and 5HIAA in these patients may be of euristic and diagnostic value.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003128:Coma; D005260:Female; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D007980:Levodopa / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D010648:Phenylacetates; D007980:Levodopa; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D006719:Homovanillic Acid