GM1 ganglioside concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid of neonates and children.

GM1 ganglioside concentration was measured by radioassay technique in individual samples of lumbar cerebrospinal fluid from 20 neonatal and 17 older pediatric patients. The lumbar CSF GM1 ganglioside concentration of neonates (76.6 +/- 27.4 ng/ml) is greater than that of older infants and children (31.9 +/- 22.2 ng/ml). The lower range of GM1 ganglioside concentration of CSF from older pediatric patients is similar to the previously reported adult CSF values. The mean CSF GM1 ganglioside concentration in pediatric patients with active neurologic disease (53.1 +/- 30.0 ng/ml) is greater than that of children without central nervous system pathology. The temporal evolution and magnitude above baseline values of lumbar CSF GM1 ganglioside concentration in three neonates was correlated with the clinical status of these patients.