title: Gradients of monoamine metabolites and cortisol in cerebrospinal fluid of psychiatric patients and healthy controls.
abstract: Amine metabolites and cortisol were measured in four consecutive 3 ml samples of lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). There were pronounced concentration gradients for both 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and homovanillic acid, and there was no difference in the gradients of 11 controls and 17 psychiatric patients (10 depressed). As there was a close correlation between the mean of the first two fractions and the mean of all four fractions, a concentration obtained in 6 ml can be used to calculate that in a 12 ml CSF sample. In psychiatric patients there was a slight, but statistically significant concentration gradient for 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (unconjugated as well as conjugated). No gradient was found for cortisol in CSF.
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006018:Glycols / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D010648:Phenylacetates / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D006018:Glycols; D010648:Phenylacetates; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D006854:Hydrocortisone; D006719:Homovanillic Acid