ACETYLCHOLINE DETERMINATION OF CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID IN ANEURYSMAL SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE

Acetylcholine (ACh) concentrations were determined serially in cerebro spinal fluid (CSF) obtained from 23 patients with aneurysmal subarachn oid hemorrhage (SAH) by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection (ED). The values of CSF ACh were signif icantly low in the initial stage of SAH, and increased subsequently bu t they did not return to control values within 3 weeks. In addition, s erial measurements of CSF butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity in 12 SAH patients showed that the activity was elevated significantly in th e initial stage of SAH and returned to control levels within a week. T his discrepancy in the recovery period between the ACh levels and the BChE activity in CSF indicated that significantly lower CSF ACh levels after SAH could not be attributed to plasma BChE contamination of CSF . These results suggested central cholinergic dysfunction after SAH, e specially in the initial stage.