Determination of the fatty acid composition of cerebrospinal fluid by gas‐liquid chromatography

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Abstract
The methyl esters of total fatty acids in lipid extracts of cerebro-spinal fluid from 9 normal patients and 8 patients with multiple sclerosis were separated and analyzed by gas chromatography. Considerable variation in the percentage of minor components was noted, but no significant differences were found between the fatty acid compositions of these 2 groups. A similar study was carried out on the fatty acid composition of spinal fluid lipid extracts in a normal 3-year-old child and one with metachromatic leukodystrophy. There was a significantly higher level of arachidonic acid and a significantly lower level of palmitic acid in the spinal fluid lipids of children as compared to adults. There was no significant difference in the fatty acid composition of spinal fluid lipids between a normal child and one with metachromatic leukodystrophy.