Cerebrospinal fluid and serum levels of dopa, catechols, and monoamine metabolites in patients with epilepsy.

We measured CSF and serum concentrations of monoamines and monoamine metabolites in normal control subjects and in patients with partial epilepsy between and less than 2 h after complex partial seizures (CPS) or secondarily generalized tonic-clonic seizures (SGTCs). After SGTCs, concentrations of norepinephrine in CSF were significantly higher (p less than 0.05) than interictal concentrations, concentrations after PSs, and concentrations in control subjects. Serum epinephrine levels also were significantly higher after SGTCs than interictal and control subjects' levels. CSF HVA levels were significantly higher after PSs than interictal or control subjects' levels. CSF concentrations of norepinephrine and its intraneuronal metabolite, dihydroxyphenylglycol, were highly correlated, both interictally and following SGTCs, whereas correlations between serum and CSF levels of these catechols generally were not statistically significant. The results indicate that seizures are associated with release of catecholamines in the central nervous system.