Cerebrospinal fluid leucine-enkephalin-like levels in febrile convulsions.

Enkephalin levels were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 17 patients with febrile convulsions and 11 control patients without a history of pain or convulsive disorders. Enkephalins were extracted from CSF by adsorption with synthetic resin XAD-2 eluted with methanol, and assayed using the radioreceptor assay (RRA). Results were expressed as Leucine-Enkephalin (Leu-E) equivalents. Enkephalin levels in CSF were 2.27 +/- 0.42 pmol/ml (mean +/- SE) in the convulsion group and the 4.8 +/- 0.8 pmol/ml (mean +/- SE) in the control group. Statistical comparison in both groups shows significant differences (p less than 0.001). These results suggest a correlation between convulsions and enkephalin levels in CSF.