Infantile spasm: the effect of corticotropin (ACTH) on the free amino acidprofile in cerebrospinal fluid

Increased excitatory amino acid neurotransmission has been implicated in th e pathogenesis of infantile spasm. In this study we studied the profile of free amino acids in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 16 patients with infanti le spasm before corticotropin (ACTH) treatment. After 10 weeks ACTH therapy the profile of amino acids in CSF was studied once more in eight of the pa tients. Eleven patients were in the symptomatic group, and five in the cryp togenic group. Increased aspartate levels were measured in CSF following AC TH therapy (P < 0.05). It was concluded that aspartate might have an import ant role in hypothalamic-hypophyseal axis in patients with infantile spasm. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.