Decreased cerebrospinal fluid levels of β-endorphin and ACTH in children with infantile spasms

To investigate the pathophysiology of infantile spasms (IS), we measured the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of β-endorphin (β-EP), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) in 20 patients with IS, including 11 with the secondary form and 9 with the cryptogenic form of the disease. The findings were compared with those obtained in age-matched controls without neurologic disease. The CSF levels of β-EP and ACTH were significantly lower in patients with IS than those in the controls. The CSF levels of CRH in patients with IS were lower, although, this trend was not significant.