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Monoamines and their metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid and temporal cortex of epileptic patients
M G Naffah-Mazzacoratti1, D Amado, A Cukiert
1Laboratório de Neurociência, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Brazil.
Abstract:
The involvement of monoamines in the initiation or maintenance of epileptic phenomena has been extensively studied in cerebral tissues and in cerebrospinal fluid. The present work was undertaken to study monoamines and their metabolites in human spiking and non-spiking temporal cortex excised from patients with complex partial seizures unresponsive to available anticonvulsants. The same substances were also analyzed by HPLC-ED in cerebrospinal fluid obtained 24 h before the surgical procedure and compared with those from patients with chronic headache and normal neurological evaluation. The results show increased 5-HT, 5-HIAA and HVA levels in spiking compared with non-spiking cortex. Cerebrospinal fluid levels of 5-HIAA and HVA are concomitantly increased in epileptic compared with headache patients.