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Brain glutamate deficiency in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Amino acid contents were measured in autopsied brains of eight patients with the sporadic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and in brains of control subjects dying without neurologic or psychiatric disease. Glutamic acid content was reduced in most brain regions and in the cervical cord in the ALS patients, while glutamine contents were normal. Taurine contents were increased, and -aminobutyric acid contents were decreased in some brain regions in the ALS patients. The brain glutamate deficiency in ALS is unexplained, but insufficient production or release of this excitatory neurotransmitter might have important secondary effects on motor neurons.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Perry, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, 2176 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1W5, Canada.

Supported by the Medical Research Council of Canada.

Received October 15, 1986. Accepted for publication in final form March 6, 1987.

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