CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID MONOAMINE METABOLITES AND GLUCOSE-METABOLISM IN POSTTRAUMATIC AGGRESSION

Background: This pilot study was conducted to determine if aggressive, post brain-injured patients have abnormal glucose metabolism or abnor mal CSF monoamine metabolite concentrations as compared with non-aggre ssive, post brain-injured controls. Methods: Subjects with a history o f traumatic brain injury underwent a lumbar puncture and glucose toler ance test after a three-week medication wash-out period Monoamine meta bolite concentrations and glucose nadirs were compared between aggress ive and control subjects. Results: There were no statistical differenc es between the aggressive (n = 4) and control (n = 6) group with respe ct To age (28.5 +/- 15.7 versus 28.0 +/- 10.8), weight (72.5 kg +/- 14 .1 versus 67.7 kg +/- 10.1) or number of months since brain injury (31 .8 +/- 26.1 versus 33.3 +/- 23.3). There were no significant differenc es between the two groups in glucose nadirs following oral glucose cha llenge or in levels of CSF monoamine metabolite concentrations of 5-hy droxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), homovanillic acid (HVA), or 3-methoxy -4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), although a trend toward significance wa s noted between the MHPG groups (higher MHPG within aggressive group). Conclusions: The preliminary, data suggest that glucose metabolism an d CSF monoamine metabolite concentrations do not differ significantly from aggressive subjects to controls in persons with brain injury. Fol low-up prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed to eval uate these preliminary findings. (C) 1998 Society of Biological Psychi atry.