Assessment of reliability and biological significance of glutamate levels in cerebrospinal fluid

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Abstract
The published information on glutamate levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and modifications in neurological disorders is controversial. In the present study, we demonstrated a metabolic instability of glutamare in untreated CSF and a spurious elevation of its levels by the current methods of CSF acidification. These findings may explain the discrepancies observed with different methods of CSF processing and analysis. We suggest a method of inactivating CSF enzymes that yields stable glutamate levels under different storage conditions. Use of such a method may be necessary for clinical studies.