Folate deficiency in cerebrospinal fluid associated with a defect in folate binding protein in the central nervous system.

An adult male patient of Dutch ancestry has a slowly progressive neurological disease characterised by a cerebellar syndrome, distal spinal muscular atrophy, pyramidal tract dysfunction, and perceptive hearing loss. A severe folate deficiency state was found in CSF in combination with a normal serum and red cell folate state. Two unknown abnormal metabolites were present in CSF. The concentration of immunoreactive folate binding protein in CSF was unusually low, whereas the concentration of the protein measured with radioligand (3H-folate) binding was unusually high. The transfer of folate over the choroid plexus seems to be disturbed, potentially reflecting a defect in the choroid plexus folate binder.