Elevated cerebrospinal fluid level of ciliary neurotrophic factor in acutedisseminated encephalomyelitis

We investigated the concentrations of ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from children with inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. We studied 6 children with acute disseminated encep halomyclitis (ADEM), 14 with acute encephalitis/encephalopathy, 17 with bac terial meningitis, and 24 with aseptic meningitis. We found that CNTF was u ndetectable in the CSF of all children with acute encephalitis/encephalopat hy during the acute and convalescent stages, those with aseptic meningitis, and the 25 control subjects. In children with ADEM, CNTF was undetectable during the acute stage, but its concentration was elevated in all six at th e convalescent stage. In children with bacterial meningitis, the CNTF conce ntration was slightly elevated in two of the 17 during the acute stage and another two at the convalescent stage. Our results suggest that CNTF is par t of the regulatory system for oligodendrocyte functions, such as remyelina tion, in ADEM. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.