Abstracts

Rationale: The baboon represents a natural model for inherited generalized, photosensitive epilepsy. As part of a genetic study, cerebrospinal (CSF) monoamine metabolites were determined in a pedigreed colony of Papio h. anubis (PCA), cynocephalus and their hybrids (PCX). Our aim was to identify animals with witnessed seizures (SZ) to compare metabolite concentrations with a group of asymptomatic, control (CTL) baboons. Methods: The mean age of four SZ baboons (3 M/1 F, 3 PCA/1 PCX) was 12.8 years, which did not differ significantly from the CTL animals (5 M/5 F, 5 PCA/5PCX) with a mean age of 14 years. CSF samples were drawn from the cisterna magna 30 minutes after sedation with RAAK (rompun, acepromazine, atropine, ketamine). Homovanillic acid (HVA), 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA), and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were assayed and analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Metabolite concentrations were compared between the two groups (two-tailed Student t-tests). Results: Results: CSF monoamine metabolites were overall decreased in the SZ group. Significant differences were noted for 5-HIAA (153+/-33 vs. 282+/-73 pmol/mL, p<0.001), marginally significant for HVA (315+/-131 vs. 586+/-168 pmol/mL, p=0.06), and not significant for MHPG (91+/-38 vs. 73+/-33 pmol/mL).