Chronic dexamethasone and biogenic amine metabolites in human cerebrospinal fluid

In order to investigate the possible interactions between corticosteroids and monoamines, the authors measured levels of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy phenylglycol (MHPG), homovanillic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxy indolacetic acid (5-HIAA), the main metabolites of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin, in ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of hydrocephalic patients either untreated (n = 21) or chronically treated with dexamethasone (n = 21): in some patients plasma MHPG was also determined. No significant differences were noted in metabolite concentrations of untreated and treated subjects: only slightly higher HVA and 5-HIAA and lower MHPG levels were found in treated patients. As in CSF, MHPG plasma values, although lower in dexamethasone treated patients, were not significantly different from those of untreated subjects. These data suggest that hydrocephalic patients have unaltered monoamine response to chronic glucocorticoid administration.