CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID LEVELS OF MONOAMINE METABOLITES - A PRELIMINARY-STUDY OF THEIR RELATION TO MENSTRUAL-CYCLE PHASE, SEX STEROIDS, AND PITUITARY-HORMONES IN HEALTHY WOMEN AND IN WOMEN WITH PREMENSTRUAL-SYNDROME

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of the serotonin metabolite 5-hyd roxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), the noradrenaline metabolite 3-methoxy -4-hydroxyphenyl-ethylene glycol (MHPG), and the dopamine metabolite h omovanillic acid (HVA) were measured in a group of drug-free non-depre ssed women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) (late luteal phase dysphor ic disorder) (n = 13) and in controls with no premenstrual complaints (n = 13). In six patients and eight controls, CSF samples from both th e luteal and the follicular phase were obtained, whereas in the remain der of the subjects, samples from either the follicular phase (patient s: 4, controls: 2) or the luteal phase (patients: 3, controls: 3) were taken. The following observations were made: (1) Neither in the folli cular phase nor in the luteal phase did the mean concentrations of CSF monoamine metabolites in the PMS group differ from the corresponding values in the control group. (2) Neither in the PMS group nor in the c ontrol group did the mean concentrations of monoamine metabolites in C SF samples obtained in the luteal phase differ from the corresponding values obtained in the follicular phase. (3) The intraindividual, inte rsample variations of CSF HVA and 5-HIAA concentrations were significa ntly smaller in the PMS group than in the control group. (4) CSF HVA c orrelated strongly to CSF 5-HIAA in the luteal phase of both patients and controls whereas in the follicular phase, particularly in controls , this correlation was much weaker. (5) In the luteal phase, the CSF H VA/5-HIAA ratio correlated negatively to serum levels of estradiol, pr ogesterone, and testosterone. (6) The CSF HVA/5-HIAA ratio was signifi cantly lower in PMS patients than in controls. (7) A positive correlat ion between CSF MHPG and serum luteinizing hormone was observed in the follicular phase. (8) A positive correlation between CSF HVA and seru m prolactin was observed in the luteal phase. Because the study was co mprised of a small number of subjects, the reported findings until rep licated should be interpreted with caution.