Amino acid metabolism in the brain with convulsive disorders. Part I: Free amino acid patterns in the brain of E1 mouse with convulsive seizure.

To clarify the biochemical mechanism of convulsions from a view point of the amino acid metabolism, the free amino acid patterns in brains of El mice were investigated. The free amino acid levels in the brain excluding the cerebellum were measured by an amino acid autoanalyzer. 1) In the convulsion group, the free aspartic acid and serine levels in brains increased compared to the preconvulsion group. 2) In the postconvulsion group, an increase of glutamine and alanine levels in brains and a decrease of cystathionine level were found compared to the convulsion group. 3) It was found that in the preconvulsion group, the cystathionine and ornithine levels were high and the serine, alanine and GABA levels were low compared to the postconvulsion group. These results suggest that the free amino acid balance in the brain of this mouse should play an important role in the inducing mechanism of convulsions.