Correlation between monoamine content and other parameters of cerebrospinal fluid in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: a case report.

The monoamine content and other parameters of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were studied in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (ASH). The blood content of CSF was determined by the protein concentration and cell count, while the haemostatic status of the patient was characterized by the prothrombin level of blood. The serotonin content of CSF was elevated at the beginning of ASH (high protein content and fresh blood cells in CSF, and low level of prothrombin in blood). Later the level of serotonin and protein of CSF decreased, while the prothrombin level of blood increased. During rebleeding on the 20th day after admission, the CSF serotonin and protein content increased again, while the prothrombin level of blood was decreased. The dopamine and noradrenaline levels of CSF markedly decreased on the 11th day after ASH, but in the following days these parameters returned to the control level. The findings suggested that the serotonin content of CSF originated mainly from extravasated blood. The decreased level of dopamine and noradrenaline 11 days after ASH might be connected with increased blood viscosity, decreased peripheral blood pressure or other changes.