[Cerebrospinal fluid melatonin in diseases of the nervous system]

In 66 patients with some diseases of the nervous system (epilepsy, brain tumors, traumatic brain lesions, discorgenic lumbosacral radiculitis) melatonin content in liquor was determined by a fluorimetric method, especially modified for this purpose. The increase of melatonin concentration in liquor mostly significant in frequent epileptic strokes was found. In brain tumors the hormone content depended upon the severity of the patients' state, the existence of epileptic strokes, brain stem and hypothalamus involvement into the process. In traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhages, in the hypothalamic syndrome, the melatonin content was very high. An assumption on melatonin defensive role in conditions of the nervous system pathology and the topico-diagnostical significance of its study in liquor is made.