[Amino acid composition of ventricular and lumbar cerebrospinal fluid in brain tumors].

In 58 patients with brain tumors of a different histological structure the authors examined the amino acid content in the CSF (in 30 cases ventricular and in 28--lumbar fluid). The most expressed changes in the amino acid content (an increased amount and their concentration in the fluid) were found in patients with tumours, closely located to fluid conducting paths. The most characteristic of brain tumors was the prevalent increase of the content of crystine, thyrosine, valine, phenylalanine and a drop in the concentration of liquid methionin. The ventricular fluid, compared to the lumbar, contained a siggnificantly higher histidine content, while in high concentrations of glutamic acid--a higher content of asparagenic acid. In average concentrations of glutamic acid in the ventricular fluid the concentration of cystine, treomine, and valine was decreased. There were no correlation between the amino acid content in the liquid and the histological structure and clinical signs of the brain tumor.