[Cerebrospinal fluid cAMP and cGMP in various peripheral and central nervous system diseases. Preliminary report].

In a group of 51 patients the concentrations of cAMP and cGMP and their ratio were determined in the cerebrospinal fluid in certain neurological diseases. Statistically significant differences were found in the values of the concentrations of the above metabolites in selected groups of neurological diseases. Generally speaking, apart from a group of multiple sclerosis cases the values of cAMP concentration were higher in central nervous system diseases than in peripheral nervous system diseases. The highest values of the cAMP/cGMP ratio were observed in the group of patients with inflammatory conditions of the central nervous system. This method of cerebrospinal fluid examination may have an important role in the diagnosis of neurological diseases, particularly in multiple sclerosis.