Glutamate and GABA levels in CSF from patients affected by dementia and olivo‐ponto‐cerebellar atrophy

The modifications in the CSF content of glutamate and GABA in patients afflicted with primary degenerative dementia (PDD) and olivo-ponto-cerebellar atrophy (OPCA) have been evaluated. Control subjects (with disk erniation) were also included in the study. The amino-acids assays were carried out utilizing enzymatic-bioluminescence technique. GABA levels in controls were 803 ± 98 (n = 7) and in demented patients 702 ± 98 (n = 7) pmol/ml. Glutamate levels were 2067 ± 244 (n = 10) in controls, 1190 ± 81 (n = 16) pmol/ml (vs controls p<0.01) in demented patients, and 1116 ± 146 (vs controls p<0.01) in OPCA patients. These results suggest that CSF glutamate levels in severely demented patients might be a result of generalized neuronal loss in the brain with a reactive gliosis.