Cyclic AMP in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with recent cerebral infarction

The concentrations of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (c-AMP) and glucose were measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 43 patients with recent cerebral infarction divided into five groups in respect to the time (up to 24 h) elapsed between cerebrovascular insult and CSF sampling. 10 of the additionally studied subjects were (control group) neurologically normal. None of the investigated subjects was under therapy at the time of CSF sampling. The levels of c-AMP and glucose in patients with cerebral infarction were found not to be related to the degree of neurological deficit but to the duration of ischemia. CSF c-AMP was elevated (p less than 0.001) for 8-12 h following the cerebrovascular insult and subsequently reached the level of controls. The CSF glucose level was elevated during the whole period of observation.