The levels of neurotransmitter amino acids in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with acute cerebral stroke

The dynamics of the levels of both excitatory (aspartate, glutamate) and in hibitory (GABA, glycine) neurotransmitter amino acids was estimated in cere brospinal fluid of 110 patients with hemispheric ischemic stroke. A signifi cant increase of the contents of glutamate and aspartate was found begining with the first 6 hours of the disease onset. The degree and duration of su ch elevation correlated with severity of the stroke. Maximal GABA and glyci ne levels were registered to the end of the 1st day of the stroke, that ref lected delayed triggering of the protective inhibitory mechanisms. It was e stablished that insufficiency of GABA-mediation in hemispherical location o f the stroke was much responsible for both the severity of its clinical man ifestations and potential of the restorative processes. Early significant b iochemical criteria for objective assessment of the severity of cerebral is chemia as well as of the stroke course and outcome were defined. The most u nfavourable prognostic signs were low GABA concentration (or impossibility of its evaluation) during the first days of the stroke, progredient elevati on of the aspartate level until the 3d day of the disease and the severe fa ll of glutamate concentration (in spite of its initial increase on the 1st day).