Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in obsessive-compulsive disorder: A pilot investigation comparing treatment responders and non-responders

Mohamed, Mona A.; Smith, Mari A.; Schlund, Michael W.; Nestadt, Gerald; Barker, Peter B.; Hoehn-Saric, Rudolf

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2007.04.002

« Previous Next »Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Volume 156, Issue 2 , Pages 175-179, 15 November 2007

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in obsessive-compulsive disorder: A pilot investigation comparing treatment responders and non-responders

Mona A. Mohamed
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Russell H Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Baltimore, MD, United States
- FM Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
Mari A. Smith
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Russell H Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Baltimore, MD, United States
- FM Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
Michael W. Schlund
- Department of Behavioral Psychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 600 N. Wolfe St., Meyer 117, Baltimore, MD 21287, United States
- Tel.: +1 410 955 6111; fax: +1 410 614 5913.
Gerald Nestadt
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 600 N. Wolfe St., Meyer 117, Baltimore, MD 21287, United States
- Tel.: +1 410 955 6111; fax: +1 410 614 5913.
Peter B. Barker
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Russell H Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Baltimore, MD, United States
- FM Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States
Rudolf Hoehn-Saric
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 600 N. Wolfe St., Meyer 117, Baltimore, MD 21287, United States
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 410 955 6111; fax: +1 410 614 5913.

Received 30 March 2007; accepted 7 April 2007.

Abstract

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging was performed to compare brain metabolism in patients with obsessive-compulsive OCD. Evaluation was done on responders and non-responders to pharmacotherapy and on healthy controls. The results showed significantly lower NAA/Cr ratios in the right basal ganglia in non-responders than in responders or in controls and higher Cho/Cr ratios in the right thalamus in non-responders than responders. Abnormal neuronal metabolism in the right basal ganglia and right thalamus may be indicating lack of response to treatment to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.

Keywords: OCD, brain metabolism, treatment responders, treatment non-responders, SSRI