Cerebrospinal fluid studies in infant children with cerebral palsy and other neurologic disorders.

(1) In 100 children with cerebral palsies and various types of developmental cerebral disorders and 32 neurologically normal controls, the extinction co-efficient of the CSFs (ECSF) was studied by spectrography in ultraviolet light, and their ascorbic acid and protein contents were determined. From these determinations, the extinction co-efficients corresponding to the ascorbic acid (EASC.) and protein values (EProt.) and the difference, D = ECSF - EASC. - EProt., were computed. (2) Normal newborn infants presented much higher values of ECSF, ascorbic acid and proteins than older children. (3) A marked increase of the average D values was noticeable in the neuropathologic group, which included cases of birth trauma, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, hydrocephalus, and convulsions. The increase of D values when statistically evaluated and compared with the analogous values of children without neurological conditions was significant in all pathologic groups (bith trauma, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus) with the exception of convulsions. (4) Mental deficiency, especially in its severe forms, is associated with changes in the CSF indicative of damage to cells of the CNS. A correlation is noted between the developmental quotient and the D values; higher D values were found in the group with DQs below 50%, than in that with DQs above 50%. (5) Changes of D appearing on repeated punctures could be correlated to the clinical course of the disease; this special problem, however, requires further studies on a larger material.