Measurement of acid monoamine metabolites in human and animal cerebrospinal fluid.

SUMMARY Techniques for measuring 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) have been modified to permit the use of smaller samples for measuring these acid monoamine metabolites in human and animal CSF. Levels of both HVA and 5-HIAA were approximately three times as high in human ventricular CSF as in human lumbar CSF. Lumbar CSF levels of 5-HIAA in neurologic patients were significantly higher than those in psychiatric patients. Values were obtained for HVA in dog cisternal CSF and for 5-HIAA in dog, rabbit, and cat cisternal CSF.