Higher levels of certain amino acids in spinal fluid of hip fracture patients with delirium suggest increased brain chemical activity

Fifty-three (71%) hip fracture patients developed delirium.

• Delirious patients without pre-fracture dementia had significantly higher cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of tryptophan (40% higher), tyrosine (60% higher), and phenylalanine (59% higher) compared to those without delirium.
• The monoamine metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetate was also found to be 23% higher in the CSF of delirious patients without dementia.
• Similar increases in amino acids were observed in delirious patients with dementia.
• Poor correlations were noted between serum and CSF amino acid levels.

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