Summary
Twenty amino acids were determined chromatographically in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 26 patients and in plasma from 13 of the patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). In the first group of 13 patients, from which lumbar CSF and plasma were collected on days three, six and nine after SAH, there was a significantly increased CSF concentration from day three to six and/or nine in all amino acids except for taurine which was within the normal range.
In the second group of 13 patients, from which CSF was collected during peroperative clipping of aneurysms, there was an increased concentration in lumbar and central CSF in all amino acids except for taurine compared to controls. There was no correlation between any of the amino acids and cerebral vascular diameter as assessed by angiography.
It is suggested that the increased levels in lumbar and central CSF amino acids result from proteolysis due to catabolic processes and from impaired clearance of the amino acids from CSF after SAH.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Briem, H., Hultman, E. H., Kalin, M. E., Lundberg, P. R., Increased total concentration of amino acids in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with purulent meningitis. J. Infect. Disease145 (1982), 346–350.
Corston, R. N., McGale, E. H. P., Stonier, C., Hutchinson, E. C., Aber, G. M., Abnormalities of cerebrospinal fluid amino acids in purulent meningitis. J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiat.42 (1979), 881–886.
Ekbom, K., Greitz, T., Carotid angiography in cluster headache. Acta Radiol. Diagn. (1979), 1–10.
Fisher, J. E., Funovics, J. M., Aguirre, A., The role of plasma amino acids in hepatic encephalopathy. Surgery78 (1975), 276–288.
Freund, H. R., Ryan, J. A., Fisher, J. E., Amino acid derangements in patients with sepsis. Ann. Surg.188 (1978), 423–429.
Gabrielson, G., Greitz, T., Normal size of the internal carotid, middle cerebral and anterior cerebral arteries. Acta Radiol.10 (1970), 1–10.
Hagenfeldt, L., Arvidsson, A., The distribution of amino acids between plasma and erythrocytes. Clin. Chim. Acta100 (1980), 133–141.
Hagenfeldt, L., Bjerkenstedt, L., Edman, G., Sedvall, G., Wiesel, F. A., Amino acids in plasma and CSF and monoamine metabolites in CSF—Interrelationship in healthy subjects. In manuscript.
Hourani, B. T., Hamlin, E. M., Reynolds, T. B., Cerebrospinal fluid glutamine as a measure of hepatic encephalopathy. Arch. Intern. Med.127 (1971), 1033–1036.
Hunt, W. E., Hess, R. M., Surgical risk as related to time of intervention in the repair of intracranial aneurysms. J. Neurosurg.28 (1968), 4–19.
Jennet, B., Bond, M., Assessment of outcome after severe brain damage. Lancet (1980), 480.
Kleihues, P., Hossman, K. A., Protein synthesis in the car brain after prolonged cerebral ischemia. Brain Res.35 (1971), 409–418.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This study was supported by grants from Karolinska Institutet.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
von Holst, H., Hagenfeldt, L. Increased levels of amino acids in human lumbar and central cerebrospinal fluid after subarachnoid haemorrhage. Acta neurochir 78, 46–56 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01809241
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01809241