Application of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy on substantia nigra metabolites in Parkinson’s disease

This study investigates changes in substantia nigra metabolites in Parkinson’s disease (PD) using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H- MRS). Thirty patients with asymmetric PD and 20 normal controls were included in this study. Substantia nigra metabolites were detected in all subjects using 3D-multimer ¹H-MRS with a 3.0 T MRI scanner. The relative ratios of NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, NAA/(Cho + Cr) in the substantia nigra were compared between two sides of asymmetric PD patients as well as between PD patients and controls. Significant differences in NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, NAA/(Cho + Cr) were observed between PD patients and healthy controls (P?<?0.05) as well as between the ipsilateral and contralateral of affected extremity in PD patients (P?<?0.05). Significant differences in NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, NAA/(Cho + Cr) were also observed between patients with mild and severe PD. Thus, we found that ¹H-MRS can be used to detect substantia nigra metabolites in PD patients, which may be useful for early diagnosis and evaluation of PD.     

Relationships between gray matter metabolic abnormalities and white matter inflammation in patients at the very early stage of MS

Abstract Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (¹H-MRSI) was used to study metabolic abnormalities inside the gray matter (GM) during or distant to white matter (WM) inflammatory processes reflected by T₁ gadolinium-enhancing lesions in patients at the very early stage of multiple sclerosis (MS). The spectroscopic examination was performed in the axial plane using a home-designed acquisition-weighted, hamming shape, 2D-SE pulse sequence (TE = 135 ms; TR = 1,600 ms). Bilateral thalami and the medial occipital cortex were explored in 35 patients (15 with and 20 without T₁-Gd enhancing lesions) with clinically isolated syndrome suggestive of MS and in 30 controls. The mean duration since the first presenting symptom was 9.1 (±6.7) months. The two groups of patients (with or without T₁ Gd-enhancing lesions) did not differ in terms of time elapsed since the first clinical onset and T₂ lesion load. The spatial contamination of surrounding WM tissues was obtained in each GM region by determining the tissue component in the ROI from GM and WM probability maps smoothed with the point spread function of the MRSI acquisition. Contribution of WM signal was important (60%) inside thalami while the region centered on the medial occipital cortex was well representative of GM metabolism (>70%). Comparisons of relative metabolite levels (ratios of each metabolite over the sum of all metabolites) between all patients and controls showed significant decrease in relative N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) levels, increase in relative choline-containing compounds (Cho) levels and no change in relative creatine/phosphocreatine levels inside the three ROIs. Decrease in relative NAA levels and increase in relative Cho levels were found in patients with inflammatory activity, while no metabolic alterations were present in patients without T₁ Gd-enhancing lesions. These results suggest that abnormalities in GM metabolism observed in patients at the very early stage of MS are mainly related to neuronal dysfunction occurring during acute inflammatory processes.     

Presurgical multimodality neuroimaging in electroencephalographic lateralized temporal lobe epilepsy

The purpose of this study was to compare 2hyphen;[¹⁸F]fluoro-2-deoxy−D −glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), hippocampal volumetry (HV), T2 relaxometry, and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (¹H-MRSI) in the presurgical neuroimaging lateralization of patients with nonlesional, electroencephalogram (EEG)-defined unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Twenty-five patients were prospectively studied, along with age-matched controls. T2 relaxometry examinations were performed in 13 patients. Comparison of FDG-PET, HV, and ¹H-MRSI was possible in 23 patients. FDG-PET lateralized 87% of patients, HV 65%, N-acetyl aspartate (NAA)/(choline [Cho] + creatine [Cr]) 61% and [NAA] 57%. Combined HV and NAA/(Cho + Cr) results lateralized 83% of the patients, a value similar to PET. Of 10 patients with normal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, 2 were lateralized with HV, 6 with FDG-PET, 4 with NAA/(Cho + Cr), and 3 with [NAA]. T2 relaxometry lateralized no patients without hippocampal atrophy. Bilateral abnormality was present in 29 to 33% of patients with ¹H-MRSI measures and 17% with HV. Only hippocampal atrophy correlated with postoperative seizure-free outcome. FDG-PET remains the most sensitive imaging method to correlate with EEG-lateralized TLE. Both FDG-PET and ¹H-MRSI can lateralize patients with normal MRI, but only the presence of relative unilateral hippocampal atrophy is predictive of seizure-free outcome. Bilaterally abnorma; MRI and ¹H-MRSI measures do not preclude good surgical outcome.     

Altered white and gray matter metabolism in CADASIL: a proton MR spectroscopy and 1H-MRSI study

OBJECTIVE: Subcortical white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and small cystic lesions are the radiologic hallmark of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), a hereditary angiopathy causing stroke in young adults. To further characterize the cerebral pathology in vivo we analyzed metabolite concentrations in normal and abnormal appearing brain tissue using single and multiple voxel proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS and 1H-MRSI). METHODS: Twenty patients with CADASIL and 21 age-matched controls were studied with 1H-MRSI at the level of the centrum semiovale; short echo time 1H-MRS was performed in six patients (WMH) and 10 controls. LCModel fits were used to estimate absolute and relative concentrations of N:-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline-containing compounds (Cho), total creatine (Cr) within WMH, normal appearing white matter (NAWM), and cortical gray matter (GM) as well as myo-inositol (mI) and lactate in WMH. RESULTS: 1H-MRSI-Patients with CADASIL showed significantly reduced NAA, Cho, Cr, and total metabolite content (Met(tot)) in WMH and NAWM. Normalization to Met(tot) revealed that NAA/Met(tot) was reduced in all regions, whereas Cho and Cr were relatively elevated in WMH. Short echo time 1H-MRS showed decreased NAA, Cr, Met(tot), and NAA/Met(tot) and elevated mI/Met(tot) and lactate in WMH. Metabolite changes were larger in severely affected subjects. Rankin scores correlated negatively with NAA/Met(tot) (all regions) and NAA/Cho (WMH), and positively with Cho/Met(tot) (WMH) and Cr/Met(tot) (NAWM). CONCLUSION: Marked metabolic abnormalities were observed in abnormal and normal appearing white matter in patients with CADASIL. The findings suggest axonal injury, enlarged extracellular spaces, myelin loss, and gliosis. The cortical abnormalities may reflect structural damage or functional neuronal impairment secondary to white matter pathology. NAA reductions were correlated with clinical disability emphasizing the clinicopathologic relevance of axonal injury in CADASIL.     

Hypo-metabolism of the rostral anterior cingulate cortex associated with working memory impairment in 18 cases of schizophrenia

Working memory (Work-Mem), the capacity to hold and manipulate information, activates the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), especially its caudal subregion. Impaired Work-Mem and structural and functional abnormalities of the ACC are reported in schizophrenia. This study aims to elucidate the pathogenesis of Work-Mem dysfunction in schizophrenia by comparing metabolite concentrations across ACC subregions. This retrospective study of 18 schizophrenia cases and 10 matched controls used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (¹H-MRSI, TR/TE = 1800/35 ms, 0.5 cm³ spatial resolution) to test whether the Work-Mem Index of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, third edition is associated with differences in the rostral to caudal ACC ratios of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and creatine (Cr). Higher caudal:rostral ACC Cr (but not NAA) concentrations were associated with decreased Work-Mem Index in cases (r?=?-0.6, p?=?0.02), with a similar trend in controls (r?=?-0.56, p?=?0.10), although caudal:rostral ACC Cr correlated with NAA in cases and controls (r?=?0.67 and 0.62, p?<?0.05 for both). NAA and Cr ratios did not correlate with myo-inositol, excluding gliosis as the underlying process. Subjects’ sex and age had no effects on these relationships. The findings suggest that rostral ACC energy hypo-metabolism, possibly arising from neurodevelopmental processes, is associated with working memory impairment in schizophrenia. Changes in the rostral (not the expected caudal) subregion underscore the interconnections between the ACC subregions and may offer laboratory markers for treatment trials, etiology studies, and perhaps even enhanced identification of prodromal “at risk” subjects.     

Evaluation of cognitive functions of juvenile myoclonic epileptic patients by magnetic resonance spectroscopy and neuropsychiatric cognitive tests concurrently

Our aim in this research is investigating the hypothesis of biochemical changes in frontal cortex and thalamocortical pathways in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) and the interaction between the biochemical changes and cortical functions. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) was applied to 20 JME patients and 20 controls for measuring N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), N-acetyl aspartate to creatine ratio (NAA/Cr), Glutamine and Glutamate (GLX), Glutamine–Glutamate to creatine (GLX/Cr), Choline containing compounds (Cho) and Choline to creatine (Cho/Cr) levels. Neuropsychological cognitive tests for linguistic and visual attention, linguistic and visual memory, visuospatial and executive functions were applied to all participants. NAA and NAA/Cr concentrations were found lower in bilateral frontal and thalamic regions in JME group as compared with the control group (p < 0.05). There was no difference in frontal and thalamic GLX, GLX/Cr, Cho, Cho/Cr levels in between JME patients and controls (p > 0.05). JME patients were found more unsuccessful than the controls in attention, memory, visuospatial function, verbal fluency, Trail B test and executive functions, stroop test, clock drawing test and Trail A test (p < 0.05). Prefrontal NAA/Cr level was positively related to visual attention, memory, stroop test and thalamic NAA/Cr level was positively related to linguistic memory and Wisconsin card sorting test in JME patients. This research highlights regional brain changes and cognitive decline in JME patients and suggests that MRS may be a sensitive technique for showing subclinical cognitive changes.     

Progressive cerebral injury in the setting of chronic HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy

Emerging evidence suggests that CNS injury and neurocognitive impairment persist in the setting of chronic HIV infection and combination antiretroviral therapy (CART). Yet, whether neurological injury can progress in this setting remains uncertain. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy and neurocognitive and clinical assessments were performed over 2 years in 226 HIV-infected individuals on stable CART, including 138 individuals who were neurocognitively asymptomatic (NA). Concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), myoinositol, and glutamate/glutamine (Glx) were measured in the midfrontal cortex (MFC), frontal white matter (FWM), and basal ganglia (BG). Longitudinal changes in metabolite levels were determined using linear mixed effect models, as were metabolite changes in relation to global neurocognitive function. HIV-infected subjects showed significant annual decreases in brain metabolite levels in all regions examined, including NAA (2.95 %) and Cho (2.61 %) in the FWM; NAA (1.89 %), Cr (1.84 %), Cho (2.19 %), and Glx (6.05 %) in the MFC; and Glx (2.80 %) in the BG. Similar metabolite decreases were observed in the NA and subclinically impaired subgroups, including subjects with virologic suppression in plasma and CSF. Neurocognitive decline was associated with longitudinal decreases in Glx in the FWM and the BG, and in NAA in the BG. Widespread progressive changes in the brain, including neuronal injury, occur in chronically HIV-infected persons despite stable antiretroviral treatment and virologic suppression and can lead to neurocognitive declines. The basis for these findings is poorly understood and warrants further study.     

The human motor cortex after incomplete spinal cord injury: an investigation using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy

OBJECTIVES—(1) A biochemical investigation of themotor cortex in patients with incomplete spinal cord injury and normalcontrol subjects using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).(2) To relate any altered biochemistry with the physiological changesin corticospinal function seen after spinal cord injury.
METHODS—a group of six patients with incompletespinal cord injury who showed good recovery of motor function wereselected. The patients were compared with five healthy controlsubjects. Electromyographic (EMG) responses of thenar muscles totranscranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the motor cortex showed thatinhibition of cortical output was weaker in the patients than thecontrols. Proton MRS data were collected from a plane at the level ofthe centrum semiovale. Two 4.5 cm³ voxels in the motorcortex and a third voxel in the ipsilateral occipital cortex wereexamined in the patients and control subjects.
RESULTS—The mean level ofN-acetylaspartate (NAA), expressed relative to thecreatine (Cr) peak (NAA/Cr), was significantly increased in the motorcortex of the patients compared with their ipsilateral occipital cortexor either cortical area in the controls. No differences betweenpatients and controls were seen for any of the other metabolite peaks(choline (Cho), glutamate/glutamine (Glx) or the aspartate component ofNAA (Asp^NAA)) relative to Cr. Choline relative to Cr(Cho/Cr) was higher in the motor cortex of the control subjects than intheir ipsilateral occipital cortex. This difference was not present inthe patients.
CONCLUSIONS—Raised NAA/Cr in the motorcortex of the patients probably results from increased NAA rather thana decrease in the more stable Cr. The possible relevance of a raisedNAA/Cr ratio is discussed, particularly with regard to the changedcorticospinal physiology and the functional recovery seen in the patients.

     

Relevance of early cervical cord volume loss in the disease evolution of clinically isolated syndrome and early multiple sclerosis: a 2-year follow-up study

Upper cervical cord area (UCCA) atrophy is a prognostic marker for clinical progression in longstanding multiple sclerosis (MS). The objectives of the study were to quantify UCCA atrophy and evaluate its impact in clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) and relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS); to compare converting CIS patients with stable CIS, and to study changes of UCCA and brain white matter (WM) and grey matter (GM) at 2-year follow-up. 110 therapy-naive patients including 53 CIS [6 ± 6 months after symptom onset (SO)] and 57 early RRMS (SO: 12 ± 9 months) underwent sagittal 3D-T1w brain MR (3T). Mean UCCA (C1–C3 level), WM and GM, disability status (EDSS), pyramidal and sensory functional scores, motoric fatigue were assessed at baseline (BL), 12 and 24 months. Volumes were compared with 34 age- and gender-matched healthy controls to assess atrophy. RRMS (78.1 ± 8.7 mm², p = 0.011) and converting CIS (77.3 ± 8.0 mm², p = 0.046) presented with baseline UCCA atrophy, when compared with controls (82.7 ± 5.2 mm²), but not stable CIS (82.6 ± 7.4 mm², p = 0.998). Baseline WM was reduced in RRMS (509.3 ± 25.7 ml vs. controls: 528.4 ± 24.1 ml, p = 0.032). Baseline UCCA correlated negative with muscular weakness and fatigability in all patients and RRMS. EDSS exceeding 3 was associated with lower baseline UCCA. Longitudinal atrophy rates were higher in UCCA than in brain volumes. Early cervical cord atrophy in CIS and RRMS was confirmed and may represent a potential new risk marker for conversion from CIS to MS. Baseline atrophy and atrophy change rates were higher in UCCA compared to WM and GM, suggesting that cervical cord volumetry might become an additional MRI marker relevant in future clinical studies in CIS and early MS.     

Thalamic neurometabolic alterations in tremulous Parkinson's disease: A preliminary proton MR spectroscopy study

IntroductionThe objective of this study was to investigate the thalamic biochemical changes in tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease (tPD) patients in comparison with essential tremor with resting tremor (rET) patients, by using proton MR spectroscopy (¹H-MRS).MethodsFourteen tPD patients, 12 rET patients and 10 controls participated in this study. All patients underwent dopamine transporter single-photon emission computed tomography (DAT-SPECT) with ¹²³I-ioflupane, and a short-echo single-voxel ¹H-MRS on a 3T scanner. A voxel of 10 × 15 × 10 mm involving the Vim nucleus was acquired in both thalami of all subjects. Peak areas of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), creatine (Cr), glycerophosphocholine (Cho), and glutamate (Glu) were measured for each voxel using LCModel. The NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, and Glu/Cr ratios were then calculated.ResultsDAT-SPECT was abnormal in tPD patients, whereas it was normal in rET patients. Patients with tPD showed a significant reduction of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr in the thalami compared to rET and healthy controls; whereas there were no significant differences between rET patients and controls. The combination of thalamic NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios showed a 100% accuracy in distinguishing tPD patients from rET patients and controls.ConclusionsThis study provides preliminary evidence that thalamic neurometabolic abnormalities occur in tremor-dominant phenotype of PD, and suggests that ¹H-MRS can help differentiate patients with tPD from those with rET.     

Reduced NAA in the thalamus and altered membrane and glial metabolism in schizophrenic patients detected by 1H-MRS and tissue segmentation

Functional and structural abnormalities in the thalamus as well as a generalized phospholipid membrane disorder have been implicated in the pathogenesis of schizophrenic psychosis. To determine whether thalamic neuronal abnormalities and altered membrane-associated metabolites can be detected in schizophrenic patients, we used in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in 32 acutely-ill, medicated schizophrenic patients and 17 age-matched controls. Thalamic and white matter metabolite concentrations (myo-inositol (mI), choline-containing compounds (Cho), total creatine (Cr) and N-acetylaspartate (NAA)) were estimated and corrected for atrophy (CSF) and gray and white matter contributions (GM, WM) by use of image-based voxel segmentation. Thalamic NAA was significantly reduced in schizophrenic patients, whereas Cho and mI were significantly increased in the parietal white matter. White matter Cr was significantly elevated in patients and correlated positively with the brief psychiatric rating scores (BPRS). Regional metabolite levels were inversely associated with GM and WM content reaching significance for mI and Cr in the thalamus and Cho and NAA in the white matter. Reduced NAA in the left thalamus of schizophrenic patients confirms and extends previous spectroscopic data and agrees well with histologic and imaging findings of reduced neuronal density and volume. Elevated Cho in line with 31P-MRS studies suggests increased myelin degradation thus further supporting a generalized membrane disorder in schizophrenic patients. In addition, we demonstrate the need to correct metabolite concentrations for regional tissue composition in studies employing patients with altered brain morphology.     

轻度创伤性脑损伤后脑组织微环境变化:多模态磁共振成像研究

目的探讨弥散张量成像(DTI)联合磁共振波谱(MRS)及磁敏感加权成像(SWI)的功能磁共振成像方法,在评估轻度创伤性脑损伤(mTBI)脑组织代谢及微结构变化的应用价值,为临床制定相应的治疗方案提供影像学参考。方法纳入21例mTBI患者和16例健康志愿者,mTBI患者在伤后4～72 h内接受T1WI、T2WI、FLAIR、DTI、MRS及SWI序列扫描,通过各序列图像及参数值评估mTBI患者伤侧脑组织和对照组内囊前肢、内囊后肢、胼胝体膝部、胼胝体压部、扣带回、半卵圆中心、额叶白质及视辐射的差异。结果两组FA值比较,仅胼胝体压部差异有统计学意义(P0.01)。mTBI组胼胝体膝部NAA/Cr值低于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.01)。mTBI组内囊后肢和胼胝体膝部Cho/Cr值均高于对照组,差异均有统计学意义(P0.05或0.01)。结论 FA值及NAA、Cho、Cr值能测定mTBI后脑组织水分子扩散及代谢情况,DTI联合MRS及SWI可以作为一项客观指标,定量评估mTBI患者的病情及预后。     

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of the Normal Cerebellum: What Degree of Variability Can Be Expected?

The objectives of this paper are (a) to establish the reliability of relative metabolite concentrations determined with ¹H-MR spectroscopy of the cerebellum using a method appropriate to the constraints of clinical radiology and (b) to record normal values for metabolites within the cerebellum and to look for differences in metabolite concentrations between the cerebellar hemispheric white matter and the superior vermis. 3-T ¹H-MR spectra were obtained from voxels positioned in the right cerebellar hemispheric white matter and the superior vermis in 55 healthy adults (mean age 41 years, range 20 to 77) using a single voxel PRESS sequence (TR/TE?=?2,000/144 ms). One volunteer (male, age 34 years) was examined in six separate sessions over a period of 3 weeks. Reliability of intra- and inter-subject metabolite fitted area ratios was determined by evaluating coefficients of variance (%). Inter- and intra-subject coefficients of variance (%) in metabolite ratios were consistently lower in the vermis (4 to 11.6) compared to those of the hemisphere (7.2 to 14.3). Cho/Cr was significantly higher in the vermis (0.83?±?0.10) compared to the hemisphere (0.76?±?0.11) and NAA/Cho was significantly lower in the vermis (1.19?±?0.12) compared to the hemisphere (1.35?±?0.16). Low inter- and intra-subject variability can be achieved when using a ¹H-MR spectroscopy technique that is appropriate to the time constraints of clinical radiology. The regional variations of Cho/Cr and NAA/Cho within the hemisphere and vermis should be considered when performing studies of diseases, which may preferentially target a particular cerebellar location.     

Neurochemical correlates of cognitive dysfunction in patients with leukoaraiosis: a proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

Abstract

Objectives: Leukoaraiosis (LA) is a common radiological finding in the elderly and may reflect cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). Although SVD has been identified as a major cause of vascular cognitive impairment or vascular dementia, the mechanisms for this association remain unclear. We therefore aimed to measure brain metabolites in LA using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) as to determine the relationship between cognitive function and neurochemical white matter profile.

Methods: We recruited 23 patients with LA and 23 age- and sex-matched healthy controls consecutively. Multi-voxel ¹H-MRS was performed with a volume of interest located in centrum semiovale that contained mainly white matter voxels. Three main ratios of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA)/Cr, choline (Cho)/Cr and NAA/Cho were obtained. Spearman rank correlation coefficients were calculated between the cognitive function and the measured metabolite ratios.

Results: We found significantly lower levels of NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr ratios in lesioned white matter in patients with LA than healthy controls (P<0·05). The ratios of NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr in normal appearing white matter (NAWM) were higher than lesioned white matter and lower than controls, but this difference was not significant (P>0·05). There was a positive relationship between Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and NAA/Cho in NAWM (r?=?0·417, P?=?0·048), and also a positive relationship between MMSE and NAA/Cr in lesioned white matter (r?=?0·551, P?=?0·006) in patients with LA. A positive relationship between the Z scores of the executive function and NAA/Cho in lesioned white matter (r?=?0·557, P?=?0·006) was also found.

Conclusion: The main finding of this study was a significant reduction in the ratios of NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho in lesioned white matter, which indicates a marker of neuronal loss or dysfunction in patients with LA, which was correlated with cognitive function. This relationship between cognitive function and metabolic changes suggests that ¹H-MRS can be explored as a marker for cognitive dysfunction in patients with LA.     

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in dementia with Lewy bodies

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) provides a non-invasive, in vivo insight into the brain metabolism, and has been successfully used in several neurological conditions. Our objective was to characterise the cerebral metabolic changes in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) patients using (1)H-MRS. Single Voxel (1)H-MRS was performed in 12 DLB patients with mild to moderate symptoms and 11 age-matched healthy controls. Volumes of interest (VOI) were selected, including white matter (WM) in the centrum semiovale and grey matter (GM) in the parasagittal parietal cortex. Main metabolic peaks corresponding to N-acetylaspartate (NAA), glutamate/glutamine (Glx), choline-containing compounds (Cho), myo-inositol (Ins), and creatine plus phosphocreatine (Cr) were identified. These areas were measured and referred to that of the water. Metabolic ratios among the different peak areas were also calculated. In comparison with the control group, DLB patients showed significantly lower mean NAA/Cr, Glx1/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios in the WM, while their Ins/Cr and Ins/NAA ratios did not differ from those of the control group. In the GM, no significant differences were found between both groups. Correlations between age at onset, disease duration, Mini-Mental State Examination, the motor section of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Hoehn and Yahr staging and metabolic ratios, both for WM and GM, were not significant in DLB patients. Our spectroscopy data show WM involvement, along with GM preservation, in DLB patients with early or intermediate stages. Hence, (1)H-MRS may provide adjunctive information in the ante-mortem diagnosis of DLB.     

Diffuse metabolic changes in the brain of patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy. A proton MRSI study

OBJECTIVES: To assess brain metabolic abnormalities in patients with familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) due to the transthyretin (TTR) gene mutations. BACKGROUND: The TTR-FAP has variable phenotypic expression, which includes abnormalities of the central nervous system (CNS). Several conventional MRI studies have shown brain abnormalities, probably secondary to amyloid accumulation in leptomeningeal and subarachnoid vessels. However, TTR-related amyloid deposits do not seem to significantly affect the brain parenchyma and a prominent CNS impairment is considered to be rare in TTR amyloidosis. METHODS: We performed proton MR spectroscopic imaging (1H-MRSI) in the central brain of four unrelated TTR-FAP patients with either minimal or no signs of neurological involvement and eight age- and sex-matched normal controls (NC). Metabolic changes were assessed in the entire volume of interest (VOI) and in the frontal, periventricular and posterior white matter (WM). RESULTS: Conventional MRI was normal in 2 patients and showed minimal WM lesions in the remaining 2 patients. 1H-MRSI showed N-acetylaspartate to creatine ratio (NAA/Cr) decreases in the central brain VOI in all TTR-FAP patients (p < 0.005). These NAA/Cr decreases were homogeneous in all WM regions (p < 0.05 for all). CONCLUSIONS: 1H-MRSI findings suggest that diffuse metabolic changes, probably related to axonal damage, are present in brains of TTR-FAP patients even when they have no or minimal clinical and MRI signs of CNS involvement. The mechanism leading to sub-clinical metabolic brain changes needs to be identified.     

Reduction in temporal N-acetylaspartate and creatine (or choline) ratio in temporal lobe epilepsy: does this 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy finding mean poor seizure control?

BACKGROUND—Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(¹H-MRS) is a potentially useful tool in the in vivoinvestigation of brain metabolites in intractable temporal lobeepilepsy (TLE). Focal N-acetylaspartatate (NAA) reductions have beencorrelated with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) in surgically resectedepileptogenic foci.
OBJECTIVE—To evaluate the abnormalities in themetabolites NAA, creatine+ phosphocreatine (Cr), and cholinecontaining compounds (Cho) in the temporal lobe of medically refractorypatients with temporal lobe epilepsy, seizure free patients withtemporal lobe epilepsy, and normal controls.
PATIENTS AND METHODS—Ten refractory patients, 12 seizure free patients with temporal lobe epilepsy, and 10 age matchednormal controls were studied by ¹H-magnetic resonancespectroscopy. All patients had consistently unilateral temporal EEGabnormalities and a normal brain MRI. Proton MR spectra were obtainedfrom an 8 ml volume in the medial temporal lobes in patients withtemporal lobe epilepsy (ipsilateral to EEG foci) and the normalcontrols. The signals measured were expressed in terms of NAA/Cr,NAA/Cho, and Cho/Cr.
RESULTS—When compared with seizure free patientswith temporal lobe epilepsy and normal controls, the 10 refractorypatients with temporal lobe epilepsy had a lower mean (SEM) NAA/Crratio (1.65(0.53) v 2.62 (0.60), and 2.66 (0.73);p<0.002 and p<0.006) and a lower mean NAA/Cho ratio (1.59 (0.79)v 2.83 (1.33) and 2.58(0.67); p<0.02 andp<0.007).Furthermore, the two patients showing the lowest NAA/Cr ratios (1.47 and 1.73) in the seizure free group had had a past period of poorseizure control.
CONCLUSIONS—There were reduced temporal NAA/Cr andNAA/Cho ratios, suggesting neuronal loss or damage, associated withpast or present poor seizure control in the patients with temporal lobeepilepsy, but it does not exclude the possibility of a future completeseizure control (seizure free patients with temporal lobe epilepsy at the time of ¹H-MRS). This study warrants further¹H-MRS investigation with a larger series of patients withtemporal lobe epilepsy.

     

Localised 1H-MR spectroscopy for metabolic characterisation of diffuse and focal brain lesions in patients infected with HIV

OBJECTIVES—To evaluate the role of proton MRspectroscopy (¹H-MRS) in detecting metabolic changes indiffuse or focal lesions in the brain of patients infected with HIV.
METHODS—Sixty HIV seropositive patients (25 with HIV related encephalopathies, 20 with toxoplasmosis, eight withprogressive multifocal leukoencephalopathies (PMLs), and sevenwith lymphomas) and 22HIV seronegative neurologicalcontrols were examined with a combined MRI and¹H-MRStechnique using a Siemens 1.5 Tesla Magnetom. Spectra (Spin Echosequence, TE 135 ms) were acquired by single voxel, localised on focallesions in toxoplasmosis, PML, lymphomas, and HIV encephalopathies andon the centrum semiovale of neurological controls. Choline (Cho),creatine (Cr), N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), lactate, and lipids wereevaluated in each spectrum and NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, and Cho/Cr ratios were calculated.
RESULTS—A significant decrease in NAA/Cr andNAA/Cho ratios were found in all HIV diagnostic groups in comparisonwith neurological controls (p<0.003), suggesting neuronal or axonaldamage independent of brain lesion aetiology. However, the NAA/Cr ratiowas significantly lower in PML and lymphomas than in HIVencephalopathies (p<0.02) and toxoplasmosis (p<0.05). HIVencephalopathies, lymphomas, and toxoplasmosis showed a significantincrease in the Cho/Cr ratio in comparison withneurological controls (p<0.03) without between groupdifferences. The presence of a lipid signal was more frequent inlymphomas (71%) than in other HIV groups (Fisher's test, p=0.00003). The presence of mobile lipid resonance together with a high Cho/Cr ratio in lymphomas may be related to an increased membrane synthesis and turnover in tumour cells. A lactate signal (marker of inflammatory reaction), was found in all but one patient with PML lesions (75%), but had a lower incidence in the other HIV diagnostic groups (Fisher's test, p=0.00024).
CONCLUSION—¹H-MRS shows a highsensitivity in detecting brain involvement in HIV related diseases, buta poor specificity in differential diagnosis of HIV brain lesions.Nevertheless, the homogeneous metabolic pattern that characterises PMLsuggests the usefulness of ¹H-MRS as an adjunct to MRI indifferentiating CNS white matter lesions, such as HIV encephalopathies,from PML.

     

壳聚糖、磷脂酰胆碱对轻度认知功能障碍患者脑组织氢质子磁共振波谱成像的影响

目的观察壳聚糖、磷脂酰胆碱对轻度认知功能障碍(MCI)患者海马氢质子磁共振波谱成像(1H-MRSI)的影响。方法对15例MCI患者(MCI组)和15名正常老年人(正常对照组)进行海马1H-MRSI检查。给予MCI组患者壳聚糖、磷脂酰胆碱治疗2个月后对其进行复查,比较N-乙酰天门冬氨酸(NAA)/肌酸(Cr)、胆碱(Cho)/Cr、肌醇(mI)/Cr的比值。结果与正常对照组相比,MCI组服药前、后NAA/Cr比值显著降低,mI/Cr比值显著升高(均P<0.05),Cho/Cr的差异无统计学意义。MCI组治疗后的NAA/Cr比值较治疗前明显升高(P<0.05),mI/Cr比值明显降低(P<0.05),Cho/Cr比值治疗前后的差异无统计学意义。结论1H-MRSI显示,壳聚糖和磷脂酰胆碱能改善脑组织的代谢,可能对MCI有一定的治疗作用。