title: Study of tryptophan metabolism via serotonin in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with noncommunicating hydrocephalus using a new endoscopic technique.
abstract: By a recent minimally invasive neuroendoscopic technique, the cerebral ventricles have been reached in a quick, reliable, and harmless way, making possible the study of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the lateral ventricles and, above all, the CSF adjacent to the walls of the third ventricle. Tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, serotonin (5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were measured in CSF by HPLC equipment. Twenty-six patients affected with noncommunicating hydrocephalus were enrolled in the study and, as controls, 28 subjects not suffering from any neurological disease. The concentrations of tryptophan were higher in right ventricular CSF than in lumbar CSF (P < 0.01). 5-HT was detectable in the CSF of the right ventricle of hydrocephalic patients. 5-HIAA was higher in right ventricular CSF than in cisternal and lumbar CSF (P < 0.01), both in controls and in hydrocephalic patients. However, there was a higher concentration of 5-HIAA in right ventricular (P < 0.05) and cisternal (P < 0.01) CSF in hydrocephalic patients in comparison with controls. In the CSF samples withdrawn during neuroendoscopy, 5-HT presented the highest concentrations in the pineal recess. The highest amounts of 5-HIAA were found in the choroid plexus, third and right ventricles, pituitary recess, and aqueduct, and the lowest in pineal recess, subarachnoid space, infundibulum, and interpeduncolar cistern. These results provide new insight into the fate of tryptophan and its metabolites via serotonin in the CSF and suggest the feasibility of the new neuroendoscopic technique for brain metabolic studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Comai
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Longatti
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perin
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertazzo
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ragazzi
authors.forename: Carlo V L
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Graziella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Allegri
mesh_terms: D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D004724:Endoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D020547:Lateral Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D013346:Subarachnoid Space / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D020542:Third Ventricle / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000032:analysis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D014696:Ventriculostomy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D014364:Tryptophan; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan