Increased CSF/serum albumin ratio: a recurrent finding in violent offenders.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)/ serum albumin ratios are increased in violent offenders.


METHODS
In a previous study of violent offenders, we found significantly higher CSF/serum album ratios (as a sign of increased blood-brain barrier permeability) in violent offenders than in healthy controls. For the present replication study, we recruited a new group of 28 violent offenders, aged 45 years or younger, and 20 new control subjects.


RESULTS
The albumin ratio was again significantly higher in the offender group (mean 6.2) than in the control group (mean 4.6) (P = 0.012). Substance abuse or current medication did not appear to explain this finding.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased CSF/serum albumin ratios are an unspecific sign of neurological dysfunction in subgroups of violent offenders.
Anckarsäter
H
H
Longitudinal Clinical Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Sweden. henrik.anckarsater@skane.se
Forsman
A
A
Blennow
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000418:Albumins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D015984:Causality; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*
D000418:Albumins; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin