Studies on kynurenine in human cerebrospinal fluid: lowered levels in epilepsy

Kynurenine, tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid were measured in human lumbar and cisternal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) taken during pneumoencephalography. The results do not support the hypothesis that any substantial part of the CSF kynurenine is of central origin. However, the results suggest that CSF kynurenine is reduced in some epileptic subjects and this seems to be due to the disease rather than anticonvulsants. This finding is of interest in view of the reported convulsant effect of kynurenine in experimental animals.