Excitatory amino acids in cerebrospinal fluid in neonatal asphyxia.

Of the excitatory amino acids, glutamic and aspartic acid were studied in the cerebrospinal fluid of six infants 4-32 hours after a documented episode of severe neonatal asphyxia. Aspartic acid concentration was definitely increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of these patients, whereas glutamic acid concentration varied considerably. Aspartic acid was always increased, even hours after the period of asphyxia, but values were greater in samples taken less than 12 hours after the asphyxial event. The patients with the highest cerebrospinal fluid aspartic acid concentrations had more severe outcomes.