Glutamate and GABA levels in CSF from patients affected by dementia and olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy.
The modifications in the CSF content of glutamate and GABA in patients afflicted with primary degenerative dementia (PDD) and olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy (OPCA) have been evaluated. Control subjects (with disk herniation) were also included in the study. The amino-acids assays were carried out utilizing enzymatic-bioluminescence technique. GABA levels in controls were 803 +/- 98 (n = 7) and in demented patients 702 +/- 98 (n = 7) pmol/ml. Glutamate levels were 2067 +/- 244 (n = 10) in controls, 1190 +/- 81 (n = 16) pmol/ml (vs controls p less than 0.01) in demented patients, and 1116 +/- 146 (vs controls p less than 0.01) in OPCA patients. These results suggest that CSF glutamate levels in severely demented patients might be a result of generalized neuronal loss in the brain with a reactive gliosis.
Neurobiological Psychiatry Center, C. Mondino Fdn. University of Pavia, Italy.
P
P
Tosca
L
L
Canevari
E
E
Di Paolo
R
R
Ferrari
S
S
Verzé
F
F
Zerbi
F
F
Dagani
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003704:Dementia / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D006801:Humans; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009849:Olivopontocerebellar Atrophies / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
D005971:Glutamates; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid