AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 267, Issue 6 1445-R1448, Copyright © 1994 by American Physiological Society
The nocturnal increase in human cerebrospinal fluid production is inhibited by a beta 1-receptor antagonist
C. Nilsson, F. Stahlberg, P. Gideon, C. Thomsen and O. Henriksen
Department of Medical Cell Research, University of Lund, Sweden.
A circadian variation in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production has
recently been demonstrated using magnetic resonance phase imaging. A
nightly peak in CSF production was found at approximately 0200, when
production is approximately twice the daytime values. In the present study,
we have investigated the effect of a beta 1-receptor antagonist, atenolol,
on the production of CSF, specifically the nocturnal production peak. CSF
production was measured in fourteen healthy volunteers of both sexes in the
time interval 1500-1800, with or without drug administration (100 mg
orally) at 1800, and a second measurement was made in the time interval
2300-0200. In the absence of drug administration, all nine volunteers
showed a significant increase in CSF production at night, from 0.34 +/-
0.06 ml/min in the time interval 1500-1800 to 0.61 +/- 0.05 (SE) ml/min (P
< 0.005), confirming the presence of a circadian variation in these
individuals. One week later, the experiment was repeated in five of these
volunteers, plus an additional five volunteers, but with the administration
of 100 mg atenolol orally immediately after the first measurement (at
1800). In five of the volunteers a decrease in CSF production was seen at
midnight compared with daytime production values; in two volunteers CSF
production remained unchanged, while three volunteers showed increased
production. The average CSF production was 32% lower at night (0.27 +/-
0.10 ml/min) compared with the afternoon (0.40 +/- 0.07 ml/min), after
administration of atenolol (P = 0.37).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
