Increased concentrations of aspartic acid in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with epilepsy and trigeminal neuralgia: an effect of medication?

The concentrations of free amino acids in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were quantitated in 14 patients with epilepsy, 7 patients with trigeminal neuralgia, 10 patients with various neurological diseases and in 30 apparently healthy individuals. In the CSF of patients with epilepsy, the mean concentrations of aspartic acid (Asp), glutamine (Gln), histidine and phosphoserine were significantly higher than in the healthy individuals. The mean concentration of aspartic acid was higher in the patients on antiepileptic drug (AED) therapy than in the patients without AED therapy. The patients with trigeminal neuralgia had significantly increased CSF-concentrations of aspartic acid, glutamine and phosphoserine as compared to healthy individuals. Some patients receiving AED showed increased concentration of gamma-amino-butyric-acid (GABA).