Postmortem concentrations of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) in peripheral blood and brain tissue - Differentiating between postmortem formation and antemortem intake

The results demonstrate that postmortem-formed levels of GHB are much lower in brain than peripheral blood. Analysis of GHB in brain tissue thus provides for an improved capability to identify an exogenous source of GHB. By measuring GHB in brain tissue and employing a cut-off concentration of 10 mg/kg, a tentative distinction can be made between an endo- and exogenous source of GHB. An exception to this strategy is for extensively decomposed corpses, where endogenous GHB concentrations can be high even in brain.