A STUDY OF NEUROEXCITATORY AMINO ACIDS ' IN SUPRATENTORIAL OCCLUSIVE STROKE

Abstract

Occlusive stroke is a common disease, leading to a high mortality and disability rate and consequently referred to as "the big crippler". The clinical outcome of the disease depend not only on the extent of the brain lesion but also on its localization. One of the aims of the research of the last decade has been to delineate the pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to neuronal cell death after compromised blood circulation and energy supply. Neuronal cell death can occur acutely in the core of the infarcted area if the blood flow is less than 10 ml/ 100 gm/min and may extend to the penumbral area even after re-establishment of the blood circulation.

Several factors, such as acidosis, changes in calcium homeostasis, increased outflow of excitatory aminoacids, and free oxygen radical-mediated damage, have been implicated in both acute and delayed cell death. Both oxygen free radicals and EAAs have been implicated as important toxins in ischaemic brain . In vitro studies suggested that there may be a mutual interaction between these two mediators

The aim of the work in the present study is to investigate the role of different neuroexcitatory amino acids, both in serum and cerebrospinal fluid, in the diagnosis and outcome of supratentorial occlusive stroke.

The study included 30 patients with first episode of supratentorial occlusive stroke. In addition to 15 control subjects who were neuropsychiatrically free.