Elevated concentrations of glutamate and aspartate in human ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (vCSF) during episodes of increased CSF pressure and clinical signs of impaired brain circulation

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 62; no. 1; p. 97
• Main Authors: Engelsen, B A, Fosse, V M, Myrseth, E, Fonnum, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland 20-11-1985
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Amino Acids - cerebrospinal fluid; Aspartic Acid - cerebrospinal fluid; Brain Ischemia - cerebrospinal fluid; Brain Ischemia - etiology; Female; Glutamates - cerebrospinal fluid; Glutamic Acid; Humans; Hydrocephalus - complications; Hydrocephalus - diagnostic imaging; Hydrocephalus - physiopathology; Intracranial Pressure; Male; Middle Aged; Osmolar Concentration; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
• ISSN: 0304-3940
• DOI: 10.1016/0304-3940(85)90290-3

In the ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (vCSF) of 10 hydrocephalic patients the mean (+/- S.D.) concentrations of glutamate and asparate were 2.9 +/- 0.2 and 0.2 +/- 0.2 microM, respectively. Significantly higher concentrations of these amino acids were found in two patients (glutamate 37.8 and 22.4 microM, aspartate 2.2 and 0.6 microM) with symptoms of impaired brain tissue perfusion, i.e. relative ischemia due to severely increased intraventricular CSF pressure. Our results are consistent with recent experiments in rats showing increased extracellular concentrations of glutamate and aspartate during transient cerebral ischemia.