Elsevier

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 313, Issues 1–2, 2 November 2001, Pages 96-98
Neuroscience Letters

Kynurenic acid levels are elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with schizophrenia

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(01)02242-XGet rights and content

Abstract

Kynurenic acid is an endogenous glutamate antagonist with a preferential action at the glycine-site of the N-methyl d-aspartate-receptor. Mounting evidence indicate that the compound is significantly involved in basal neurophysiological processes in the brain. In the present investigation, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) level of kynurenic acid was analyzed in 28 male schizophrenic patients and 17 male healthy controls by means of high pressure liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection. Schizophrenic patients showed elevated CSF levels of kynurenic acid (1.67±0.27 nM) compared to the control group (0.97±0.07 nM). Furthermore, CSF levels of kynurenic acid in schizophrenic patients were also found to correlate with age. The present finding is indicative of a contribution of kynurenic acid in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Swedish Medical Research Council (5095, 7484), Åhlén-stiftelsen, Stiftelsen Elsa Goljes minne, Pfannenstills stiftelse, Fredrik och Ingrid Thurings stiftelse, Syskonen Svenssons fond för medicinsk forskning, Söderström-König Foundation, Research Foundation of the University Hospital in Linköping and the Karolinska Institute.

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