Concentration of lipid peroxidation products and free fatty acids in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of epileptics

: Examination of 43 patients with various forms of epilepsy has shown that the plasma levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) products and free fatty acids (FFA) are two to fivefold higher as against those in healthy donors. The concentration of LPO products in the cerebrospinal fluid of epileptic patients is 4-5 times higher, whereas FFA levels are 10 times higher than the corresponding levels in the blood plasma. The plasma content of LPO products and FFA are mostly influenced by age, the disease duration, the presence of generalized convulsive paroxysms and the degree of personality changes. The plasma levels of LPO products have been found to correlate with FFA levels (r = 0.63; r = 0.28). A conclusion is drawn that the changes detected in the plasma concentration of LPO products and FFA reflect alterations in the activity of the LPO process in the CNS of epileptics. It is suggested that the determination of FFA levels may be used for monitoring the LPO in epileptic patients.