Homovanillic Acid and 5-Hydroxyindole-Acetic Acid in the CSF of Patients after a Severe Head Injury

Lumbar CSF concentrations of homovanillic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxyindole-acetic acid (5HIAA) have been determined in ten patients suffering from chronic brain post-traumatic syndromes, at various length of time after the brain trauma. Lower concentrations of HVA (mean 21 +/- 14 mug/ml) compared to controls (mean 46 +/- 10 mug/ml) was observed in 7 cases; 5HIAA levels were within normal values. The 5HIAA/HVA ratio (1.59 +/- 0.66) was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than the one recorded in controls (0.66 +/- 0.10). Monitoring of lumbar HVA and 5HIAA over time, before, during and after L-dopa treatment, revealed interesting correlations between modification of clinical picture and the levels of monoamines acid metabolites. The data indicate a profound alteration of brain monoamines in chronic syndromes following a severe head injury and suggest that measurements of lumbar HVA and 5HIAA in these patients may be of euristic and diagnostic value.