Changes with age in leucocyte counts, protein and IgG content of lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with inflammatory, ischemic, and hemorrhagic diseases or tumors of the central nervous system (CNS).

Parameters of blood-brain barrier (BBB) function and of humoral and cellular immune response were determined in lumbar CSF and blood serum samples from 717 patients and statistically compared to "Работает" controls (n = 190). Leucocyte counts (mainly mononuclear cells), total protein and IgG levels in CSF were significantly higher, and prealbumin fraction mostly lower in patients, besides other alterations of protein electrophoresis. Serum fractions (median) of protein electrophoresis were within the reference range. When parameters were correlated with age, a significant increase of total protein of 1.62 mg/dl and of IgG of 0.13 mg/dl per 10 years of age was found in lumbar CSF of controls. Elevated leucocyte counts did not correlate with age of patients, but they increased significantly with age, with respect to controls, to a higher extent in patients with polyneuritis, ischemia and injury; they decreased in patients with brain tumors and polyneuropathy. When compared to controls, elevated total protein levels significantly increased with age only with tumors and injury patients. In multiple sclerosis, IgG increased and beta-globulin fraction decreased significantly in CSF with age. The findings point to age-dependent alterations of BBB and immune response only in some patients groups which were different from those of controls.