title: Concentration gradients for monoamine metabolites in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid.
abstract: Concentration gradients in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the monoamine metabolites homovanillic acid (HVA), 5-hydroxy-indoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylglycol (HMPG) were studied in 9 healthy controls and 47 neuropsychiatric patients without diseases causing disturbed CSF circulation. In a serial sampling of the first 24 ml of CSF, steep concentration gradients between the first (0-4th ml) and last (21st-24th ml) portions of CSF were found for HVA (99 +/- 59% increase; p < 0.001) and 5-HIAA (88 +/- 54% increase; p < 0.001), while the concentration gradient was slight for HMPG (11 +/- 7% increase; p < 0.001). The existence of marked concentration gradients for the monoamine metabolites HVA and 5-HIAA gives further evidence for an active transport system for these metabolites and indicates that the lumbar CSF-HVA and 5-HIAA levels reflect the dopamine and serotonin metabolism in the brain. Moreover, the existence of pronounced concentration gradients for HVA and 5-HIAA stresses the importance of making analyses on a standardized volume of CSF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, University of Göteborg, Mölndal Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Blennow
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wallin
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Gottfries
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Månsson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Svennerholm
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D006719:Homovanillic Acid