Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Volume 164, Issue 2 , Pages 154-159, 30 November 2008

Single voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3 Tesla in a memory disorders clinic: Early right hippocampal NAA/Cr loss in mildly impaired subjects

  • Maria T. Caserta

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Psychiatry, University of South Florida, 3515 E. Fletcher Ave., MDC 14, Tampa, FL 33613, USA. Tel.: +813 974 3519; fax: +813 974 2478.
    • ,
  • Ann Ragin

      Affiliations

    • Department of Radiology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
    • ,
  • Adriana P. Hermida

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
    • ,
  • R. John Ahrens

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
    • ,
  • Leon Wise

      Affiliations

    • Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA

Received 13 April 2007; received in revised form 27 February 2008; accepted 11 April 2008.

Abstract 

In this study, we use magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at 3 Tesla to measure N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), myo-inositol (mI) and choline (Cho) to creatine (Cr) ratios in R (right) and L (left) hippocampi (H) in 8 mildly memory impaired (MMI), 6 probable Alzheimer's Disease (PRAD), and 17 control subjects. NAA/Cr was significantly reduced in the RH in the MMI group and bilaterally in the PRAD group vs. controls. No other metabolite differences were noted between the three groups. Five MMI subjects have converted to PRAD in follow-up. These findings suggest that RH NAA/Cr ratios measured at 3 Tesla may be a sensitive marker of future progression to dementia in a clinically defined population with isolated memory complaints.

Keywords: Brain imaging, N-acetyl aspartate, Temporal lobes, Hippocampus

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PII: S0925-4927(08)00067-X

doi:10.1016/j.pscychresns.2008.04.002

Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging
Volume 164, Issue 2 , Pages 154-159, 30 November 2008

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