Concentrations of Homovanillic Acid and 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid in Cerebrospinal Fluid from Human Infants in the Perinatal Period |
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| Authors: | Faye S. Silverstein Steven Donn Karen Buchanan Michael V. Johnston |
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| Affiliation: | Drpurtment of Pedicctrics, University of Michigan Medical School, Michigun, U.S.A.;Department of Neurology, University of Michigan Medical School, Michigun, U.S.A.;Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigun, U.S.A. |
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| Abstract: | To assess maturation of central serotonin and catecholamine pathways at birth, we measured lumbar CSF homovanillic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), stable acid metabolites of dopamine and serotonin, using HPLC with electrochemical detection. CSFs from 57 neonates (38 premature and 19 at term) and 13 infants 1-6 months old were studied. HVA levels increased with maturity (p less than 0.05; ANOVA), whereas 5-HIAA levels were similar in all these subjects. HVA/5-HIAA ratios increased markedly from 1 +/- 0.12 in the most premature neonates to 1.98 +/- 0.17 in the older infants (p less than 0.01; t test). There were no sex differences for these values. |
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| Keywords: | Neonatal Development Dopamine CCSF |
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