A Study of the Cerebrospinal Fluid Protein I. Paperelectrophoresis (On the Clinical Meaning of Electrophoretic Liquor protein Patterns)

The author carried out the paperelectrophoresis on 145 cerebrospinal fluid (C.S.F.) specimen taken from neuropsychiatric cases for the protein fractions. From this study correlations were sought between the clinical disease entities and the respective C.S.F. fraction patterns. 1) 50-100 mesh dry Sephadex G-25 was put to the test for the concentration of the C.S.F. The concentrated C.S.F. was dialyzed through a cellophane tube. The new concentration method was found to be simpler and more timesaving than the other contemporaries. Moreover, the Sephadex G-25 prepared for the concentration absorbs and removes low molecule substances from the rest at the same rate as the concentration. The prepared Sephadex can be reused after through cleaning under the running water. Also, it does not denaturize the protein in C.S.F. The author advocates it to be the best for the concentration of the C.S.F. 2) Slight increase of γ-globulin appeared on 2 cases out of 5 Neuro-Behcet syndrome. The fraction of β-globulin was also elevated, parallel to the increase of γ-globulin on 1 case. It is to be noted that although the inflammatory changes were suspected in case of Neuro-Behcet, no marked increase of γ-globulin was observed. My findings simulate allergic process, instead. 3) The author's data on multiple sclerosis contradicted those of the predecessors who had reported an increase of γ-globulin. The author, in place of γ-globulin, found some increase in β-globulin fraction. Retrobulbar neuritis also produced an ascent of β-globulin. There seemes to be enough doubts that the increase of γ-globulin in C.S.F. could be a decisive factor for multiple sclerosis and retrobulbar neuritis. 4) Not all the cases of cerebral atrophy resulted in increase of β-globulin in my study. Excluding Alzheimer's disease, the number of years after the onset of an illness tended to influence the amount of β-globulin. Regardless of enlargement of subarachnoid space and ventricles, β-globulin was prone to increase in the cases that passes not less than 3 years after the onset. My three cases of Alzheimer's disease produced marked elevation of β-globulin, regardless of the time after the onset. 5) The author analyzed and discussed in this paper some interesting findings on a few cases, resulted from the corellative study between the fractions and clinical pictures on the neuropsychiatric disorders. In some instances, the C.S.F. electrophoresis can be regarded as an important tool for diagnosing. However, we often obtain arbiturary data from which we yet cannot derive decisive factor. As we pile up more data from similar studies we may obtain enough clues to systematize completely the pathophysiological changes of C.S.F. electrophoresis