Increased plasma malondialdehyde associated with cerebellar structural defects

BACKGROUND Malondialdehyde (MDA) in plasma is regarded as an indicator for increased lipid peroxidation. METHOD Measurements of MDA concentrations in plasma were compared among healthy children (n=31), patients with neurological disorders or epileptic syndromes (n=15), and children with pontocerebellar structural defects (n=31), where the cause or genetic defect remained unknown. RESULTS In healthy children the median MDA value was 5.86 nmol/ml (mean (SD) value: 6.25 (1.97), range: 3.76–11.19). For the group with various neurological disorders or epilepsy, the values were similar with the median value at 5.66 nmol/ml (range 0.22–10.86). Compared with healthy controls and the neurological/epileptic group, the 31 children with pontocerebellar structural defects had significantly increased MDA values with a median value at 11.29 nmol/ml (mean (SD) value: 11.62 (3.27), range 3.65–19.22). IMPLICATION These findings of increased plasma MDA in the majority of children with pontocerebellar structural defects of unknown origin raised the question whether increased lipid peroxidation leads to prenatal and postnatal pontocerebellar maldevelopment or degeneration.