MONOAMINE PRECURSORS, TRANSMITTERS AND METABOLITES IN CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY IN HEALTHY MALE-SUBJECTS

In order to elucidate methodological aspects of CSF investigations, 14 healthy male subjects were lumbar-punctured at the L4-5 level followi ng a standardised procedure. CSF concentrations of precursors, transmi tters and transmitter metabolites were used as dependent variables, wh ile age, height, body weight, atmospheric pressure and some other fact ors served as independent variables. 5-HIAA and HVA (but not HMPG) hav e pronounced concentration gradients. We also found CSF gradients for the precursors tryptophan and tyrosine, as well as for serotonin, dopa mine and the dopamine metabolite DOPAC. Dopamine and atmospheric press ure showed a positive intercorrelation. Age correlated curvilinearly ( convex upward) with tryptophan but showed a negatively directed linear correlation with serotonin. Serotonin and 5-HIAA showed no intercorre lation. Our results suggest an age-dependent disposition of tryptophan in the CSF. The absence of a correlation between serotonin and 5-HIAA might be inconsistent with the notion that 5-HIAA is a marker of cent ral serotonin turnover. The comparatively high body weight of our volu nteers might explain the lack of a gradient for HMPG. Copyright (C) 19 96 Elsevier Science Ltd.