Glutamic Oxalacetic Transaminase in Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients with Cerebrovascular Accidents

Abstract

THE existence of a so-called "blood–brain barrier" is a well known phenomenon. Its presence with respect to glutamic oxalacetic transaminase has been mentioned in a few reports, usually when an elevation of the enzyme in the serum was not reflected in the spinal fluid.¹ Recently, more definite evidence of a barrier was shown in dogs with experimental cerebral infarction, in which marked elevation of spinal-fluid transaminase was associated with only minimal change of serum levels.² Conversely, high serum levels resulting from acute hepatic poisoning were not reflected in the spinal fluid.³ All these studies intimated that an elevation of serum . . .