OBJECTIVETo study the changes of amino acids in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) in children with spastic or athetotic cerebral palsy (CP) by examining CSF levels of glutamic acid (Glu), gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and aspartate (ASP).

METHODSCSF samples were obtained from 13 children with spastic CP, from 14 children with athetotic CP, and from 10 children without central nervous system and infectious diseases (control group). CSF levels of Glu, GABA and ASP were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography.

RESULTSCSF levels of GABA, ASP and Glu in the control group were 13.04+/-2.19, 10.21+/-0.45 and 8.41+/-2.26 micromol/L, respectively. Compared with the control group, CSF GABA levels in the spastic and the athetotic CP groups (8.02+/-2.03 and 10.01+/-2.68 micromol/L respectively) significantly decreased (P<0.01), whereas CSF levels of Glu (20.99+/-8.15 and 28.77+/-17.62 micromol/L respectively) and Asp (13.53+/-3.93 and 14.02+/-2.88 micromol/L respectively) in the spastic and the athetotic CP groups significantly increased (P<0.01). There were statistical differences in the GABA level between the spastic and the athetotic CP groups (P<0.05). In children with spastic CPCSF Glu level was positively correlated to muscle tension.

CONCLUSIONSCSF excitatory amino acid levels increased, while CSF inhibitory amino acid levels decreased in children with CP. There were differences for CSF amino acid levels in different types of CP. The changes of amino acid levels may contribute to the pathogenesis of CP.