[Developmental changes in the concentrations of CSF neurotransmitter metabolites]

Changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurotransmitter metabolite concentrations in 32 neurologically normal children aged 0 month to 7 years were analyzed to assess maturation of the central nervous system and compared to CSF from adults. Significant inverse correlations with aging were observed for tryptophan, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, kynurenine, tyrosine, L-dihydroxyphenylalanine, dopamine, homovanillic acid and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol concentrations. There were no significant differences with aging in CSF serotonin or 3-hydroxykynurenine concentrations. These findings demonstrated that changes in major CSF neurotransmitters occurred with aging during childhood. The importance of age-matched controls in studies of CSF neurotransmitter metabolites in the developing brain was emphasized.