Infantile spasm: the effect of corticotropin (ACTH) on the free amino acid profile in cerebrospinal fluid

Increased excitatory amino acid neurotransmission has been implicated in the pathogenesis of infantile spasm. In this study we studied the profile of free amino acids in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 16 patients with infantile spasm before corticotropin (ACTH) treatment. After 10 weeks ACTH therapy the profile of amino acids in CSF was studied once more in eight of the patients. Eleven patients were in the symptomatic group, and five in the cryptogenic group. Increased aspartate levels were measured in CSF following ACTH therapy (P<0.05). It was concluded that aspartate might have an important role in hypothalamic–hypophyseal axis in patients with infantile spasm.