Zinc modulates the activity of
glutamic acid decarboxylase, the rate limiting
enzyme in the synthesis of
gamma-aminobutyric acid (
GABA), which is a major inhibitory
neurotransmitter. Low cerebrospinal fluid
GABA values have been reported in association with several
seizure disorders, including
febrile convulsions. It is also known that
fever and/or
infections may cause a reduction in serum
zinc concentrations. In this study the hypothesis that
febrile convulsions are related to low cerebrospinal fluid
zinc was tested. Cerebrospinal fluid
zinc concentrations were measured in 66 febrile children: 32 with
febrile convulsions, 18 with
fever but without convulsions, and 16 with aseptic (
viral) meningitis. There was no statistically significant difference in the cerebrospinal fluid
zinc between the three groups of children, and the mean concentration was 26.2 micrograms/l. No significant relationship was found between either age, gender, maximal temperature, type of
infection, or time of performance of the lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid
zinc concentration. These results do not support the hypothesis that
febrile convulsions are related to reduced cerebrospinal fluid
zinc concentrations.