scholarly journals Brain glutamate in medication-free depressed patients: a proton MRS study at 7 Tesla

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 1731-1737 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata R. Godlewska ◽  
Charles Masaki ◽  
Ann L. Sharpley ◽  
Philip J. Cowen ◽  
Uzay E. Emir
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Occipital Cortex ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
7 Tesla ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Depressed Patients ◽  
Water Signal ◽  
Significant Difference

BackgroundThe possible role of glutamate in the pathophysiology and treatment of depression is of intense current interest. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) enables the detection of glutamate in the living human brain and meta-analyses of previous MRS studies in depressed patients have suggested that glutamate levels are decreased in anterior brain regions. Nevertheless, at conventional magnetic field strengths [1.5–3 Tesla (T)], it is difficult to separate glutamate from its metabolite and precursor, glutamine, with the two often being measured together as Glx. In contrast, MRS at 7 T allows clear spectral resolution of glutamate and glutamine.MethodWe studied 55 un-medicated depressed patients and 50 healthy controls who underwent MRS scanning at 7 T with voxels placed in anterior cingulate cortex, occipital cortex and putamen (PUT). Neurometabolites were calculated using the unsuppressed water signal as a reference.ResultsCompared with controls, depressed patients showed no significant difference in glutamate in any of the three voxels studied; however, glutamine concentrations in the patients were elevated by about 12% in the PUT (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe increase in glutamine in PUT is of interest in view of the postulated role of the basal ganglia in the neuropsychology of depression and is consistent with elevated activity in the descending cortical glutamatergic innervation to the PUT. The basal ganglia have rarely been the subject of MRS investigations in depressed patients and further MRS studies of these structures in depression are warranted.

scholarly journals Longitudinal changes in brain metabolites in healthy subjects and patients with first episode psychosis (FEP): a 7-Tesla MRS study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Wang ◽  
Peter B. Barker ◽  
Nicola Cascella ◽  
Jennifer M. Coughlin ◽  
Gerald Nestadt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adulthood ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
First Episode Psychosis ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
7 Tesla ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Invasive Approach ◽  
Longitudinal Changes ◽  
Episode Psychosis

AbstractObjective7 Tesla (T) longitudinal magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) offers a precise measurment of metabolic levels in human brain via a non-invasive approach. Studying longitudinal changes in neurometabolites could help identify trait and state markers for diseases and understand inconsistent findings from different researchers due to differences in the age of study participants and duration of illness. This study is the first to report novel longitudinal patterns in young adulthood from both physiological and pathological viewpoints using 7T MRS.MethodsUtilizing a four-year longitudinal cohort with 38 first episode psychosis (FEP) patients (onset within 2 years) and 48 healthy controls (HC), the authors examined the annual percentage changes of 9 neurometabolites in 5 brain regions.ResultsBoth FEP patients and HC subjects were found to have significant longitudinal reductions in glutamate (Glu) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Only FEP patients were found to have a significant decrease over time in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), myo-inositol (mI), and total choline (tCho: phosphocholine plus glycerophosphocholine) in the ACC. Uniquely, glutathione (GSH) was found to have a near zero annual percentage change in both FEP patients and HC subjects in all 5 brain regions over a four-year timespan in young adulthood.ConclusionsGSH could be a trait marker for diagnostic applications at least in young adulthood. Glu, GABA, NAA, mI, and tCho in the ACC are associated with the patient’s status and could be state markers for mechanistic studies of psychotic disorders, including those for progressive pathological changes and medication effects in young adulthood.

scholarly journals Region-specific changes in phospholipid metabolism in chronic, medicated schizophrenia

2002 ◽  
Vol 180 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Eric Jensen ◽  
Yousef M. Al-Semaan ◽  
Peter C. Williamson ◽  
Richard W. J. Neufeld ◽  
Ravi S. Menon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Chronic Schizophrenia ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Phospholipid Metabolism ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Membrane Phospholipid ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Prefrontal Region ◽  
The Right

BackgroundMembrane phospholipid abnormalities in people with schizophrenia, measured with 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS), have been previously reported in brain regions involved in this disorder.AimsIn this 4.0 Tesla 31P-MRS study of people with schizophrenia, membrane phospholipid metabolism was examined in brain regions previously inaccessible due to their small volumes.MethodThree-dimensional chemical-shift imaging (3D–CSI) examined 15 cc volumes in 12 brain regions in 11 people with chronic schizophrenia and 11 healthy control volunteers.ResultsGlycerophosphoethanolamine was decreased in the anterior cingulate, right prefrontal cortex and left thalamus, but increased in the left hippocampus and cerebellum in those with schizophrenia. Phosphoethanolamine and glycerophosphocholine were decreased in the right prefrontal region and phosphocholine was decreased in the anterior cingulate. No significant difference in membrane phospholipid levels existed between groups in the parieto-occipital and posterior cingulate regions.ConclusionsAltered membrane phospholipid metabolism was demonstrated in all regions implicated in schizophrenia.

scholarly journals Brain glutamate concentration in men with early psychosis: a magnetic resonance spectroscopy case–control study at 7 T

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata R. Godlewska ◽  
Amedeo Minichino ◽  
Uzay Emir ◽  
Ilinca Angelescu ◽  
Belinda Lennox ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
High Field ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Early Psychosis ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Psychotic Symptoms ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Glutamate Concentration ◽  
Water Signal

AbstractAbnormalities in glutamate neurotransmission are linked to psychotic symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia. magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) provides an acceptable means of measuring glutamate in the human brain but findings from patient studies at conventional magnetic field strength show considerable heterogeneity. Ultra-high-field MRS offers greater precision in glutamate measurement, particularly in delineation of glutamate from its precursor and metabolite, glutamine. This study aimed to use high-field (7 T) MRS to measure concentrations of glutamate and glutamine in three brain regions, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and putamen (PUT), in young men with early psychosis. MRS was performed in 17 male participants with early psychosis and 18 healthy age-matched controls. Neurometabolite levels were calculated with unsuppressed water signal as the reference and corrected for individual grey matter, white matter and cerebrospinal fluid concentration. Cognitive function was measured with the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia (BACS). Compared to controls, patients with early psychosis had lower concentrations of glutamate and glutamine in ACC. No differences were apparent in the DLPFC and PUT. In patients with early psychosis, there was a highly significant correlation between glutamate concentration in ACC and performance on the BACS, though the numbers available for this analysis were small. Our finding of lower glutamate levels in ACC in patients with schizophrenia is consistent with a recent meta-analysis of 7 T studies and suggests that this abnormality is present in both patients with early psychosis and those with longer-established illness. The possible link between ACC glutamate and cognitive performance requires replication in larger studies.

scholarly journals Focal changes in brain energy and phospholipid metabolism in first-episode schizophrenia

2004 ◽  
Vol 184 (5) ◽  
pp. 409-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Eric Jensen ◽  
Jodi Miller ◽  
Peter C. Williamson ◽  
Richard W J. Neufeld ◽  
Ravi S. Menon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Volunteers ◽  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
First Episode ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Membrane Breakdown ◽  
First Episode Schizophrenia

BackgroundMembrane phospholipid and high-energy abnormalities measured with phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS) have been reported in patients with schizophrenia in several brain regions.AimsUsing improved imaging techniques, previously inaccessible brain regions were examined in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and healthy volunteers with 4.0 T 31P-MRS.MethodBrain spectra were collected in vivo from 15 patients with first-episode schizophrenia and 15 healthy volunteers from 15 cm3 effective voxels in the thalamus, cerebellum, hippocampus, anterior/posterior cingulate, prefrontal cortex and parieto-occipital cortex.ResultsPeople with first-episode schizophrenia showed increased levels of glycerophosphocholine in the anterior cingulate. Inorganic phosphate, phosphocreatine and adenosine triphosphate concentrations were also increased in the anterior cingulate in this group.ConclusionsThe increased phosphodiester and high-energy phosphate levels in the anterior cingulate of brains of people with first-episode schizophrenia may indicate neural overactivity in this region during the early stages of the illness, resulting in increased excitotoxic neural membrane breakdown.

scholarly journals Simultaneous Measurement of the BOLD Effect and Metabolic Changes in Response to Visual Stimulation Using the MEGA-PRESS Sequence at 3 T

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard Eric Dwyer ◽  
Alexander R. Craven ◽  
Justyna Bereśniewicz ◽  
Katarzyna Kazimierczak ◽  
Lars Ersland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Visual Stimulation ◽  
Occipital Cortex ◽  
Blood Oxygen Level Dependent ◽  
Metabolic Changes ◽  
Water Suppression ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Indirect Measure ◽  
Bold Effect ◽  
Water Signal

The blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) effect that provides the contrast in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been demonstrated to affect the linewidth of spectral peaks as measured with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and through this, may be used as an indirect measure of cerebral blood flow related to neural activity. By acquiring MR-spectra interleaved with frames without water suppression, it may be possible to image the BOLD effect and associated metabolic changes simultaneously through changes in the linewidth of the unsuppressed water peak. The purpose of this study was to implement this approach with the MEGA-PRESS sequence, widely considered to be the standard sequence for quantitative measurement of GABA at field strengths of 3 T and lower, to observe how changes in both glutamate (measured as Glx) and GABA levels may relate to changes due to the BOLD effect. MR-spectra and fMRI were acquired from the occipital cortex (OCC) of 20 healthy participants whilst undergoing intrascanner visual stimulation in the form of a red and black radial checkerboard, alternating at 8 Hz, in 90 s blocks comprising 30 s of visual stimulation followed by 60 s of rest. Results show very strong agreement between the changes in the linewidth of the unsuppressed water signal and the canonical haemodynamic response function as well as a strong, negative, but not statistically significant, correlation with the Glx signal as measured from the OFF spectra in MEGA-PRESS pairs. Findings from this experiment suggest that the unsuppressed water signal provides a reliable measure of the BOLD effect and that correlations with associated changes in GABA and Glx levels may also be measured. However, discrepancies between metabolite levels as measured from the difference and OFF spectra raise questions regarding the reliability of the respective methods.

scholarly journals Converging evidence points towards a role of insulin signaling in regulating compulsive behavior

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ilse I. G. M. van de Vondervoort ◽  
Houshang Amiri ◽  
Muriel M. K. Bruchhage ◽  
Charlotte A. Oomen ◽  
Nitin Rustogi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Insulin Signaling ◽  
Diffusion Tensor ◽  
Structural Connectivity ◽  
Mean Diffusivity ◽  
Repetitive Behaviors ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Dorsomedial Striatum

Abstract Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder with childhood onset, and is characterized by intrusive thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead to repetitive behaviors (compulsions). Previously, we identified insulin signaling being associated with OCD and here, we aim to further investigate this link in vivo. We studied TALLYHO/JngJ (TH) mice, a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus, to (1) assess compulsive and anxious behaviors, (2) determine neuro-metabolite levels by 1 H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and brain structural connectivity by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and (3) investigate plasma and brain protein levels for molecules previously associated with OCD (insulin, Igf1, Kcnq1, and Bdnf) in these subjects. TH mice showed increased compulsivity-like behavior (reduced spontaneous alternation in the Y-maze) and more anxiety (less time spent in the open arms of the elevated plus maze). In parallel, their brains differed in the white matter microstructure measures fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) in the midline corpus callosum (increased FA and decreased MD), in myelinated fibers of the dorsomedial striatum (decreased FA and MD), and superior cerebellar peduncles (decreased FA and MD). MRS revealed increased glucose levels in the dorsomedial striatum and increased glutathione levels in the anterior cingulate cortex in the TH mice relative to their controls. Igf1 expression was reduced in the cerebellum of TH mice but increased in the plasma. In conclusion, our data indicates a role of (abnormal) insulin signaling in compulsivity-like behavior.

Role of the Human Rostral Supplementary Motor Area and the Basal Ganglia in Motor Sequence Control: Investigations With H2 15O PET

1998 ◽  
Vol 79 (2) ◽  
pp. 1070-1080 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Boecker ◽  
A. Dagher ◽  
A. O. Ceballos-Baumann ◽  
R. E. Passingham ◽  
M. Samuel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Primary Motor Cortex ◽  
Supplementary Motor Area ◽  
Motor Area ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Central Control ◽  
Motor Sequence ◽  
Finger Movements ◽  
Sequence Complexity

Boecker, H., A. Dagher, A. O. Ceballos-Baumann, R. E. Passingham, M. Samuel, K. J. Friston, J.-B. Poline, C. Dettmers, B. Conrad, and D. J. Brooks. Role of the human rostral supplementary motor area and the basal ganglia in motor sequence control: investigations with H2 15O PET. J. Neurophysiol. 79: 1070–1080, 1998. The aim of this study was to investigate the functional anatomy of distributed cortical and subcortical motor areas in the human brain that participate in the central control of overlearned complex sequential unimanual finger movements. On the basis of previous research in nonhuman primates, a principal involvement of basal ganglia (medial premotor loops) was predicted for central control of finger sequences performed automatically. In pertinent areas, a correlation of activation levels with the complexity of a motor sequence was hypothesized. H2 15O positron emission tomography (PET) was used in a group of seven healthy male volunteers [mean age 32.0 ± 10.4 yr] to determine brain regions where levels of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) correlated with graded complexity levels of five different key-press sequences. All sequences were overlearned before PET and involved key-presses of fingers II–V of the right hand. Movements of individual fingers were kept constant throughout all five conditions by external pacing at 1-Hz intervals. Positive correlations of rCBF with increasing sequence complexity were identified in the contralateral rostral supplementary motor area (pre-SMA) and the associated pallido-thalamic loop, as well as in right parietal area 7 and ipsilateral primary motor cortex (M1). In contrast, while rCBF in contralateral M1 and and extensive parts of caudal SMA was increased compared with rest during task performance, significant correlated increases of rCBF with sequence complexity were not observed. Inverse correlations of rCBF with increasing sequence complexity were identified in mesial prefrontal-, medial temporal-, and anterior cingulate areas. The findings provide further evidence in humans supporting the notion of a segregation of SMA into functionally distinct subcomponents: although pre-SMA was differentially activated depending on the complexity of a sequence of learned finger movements, such modulation was not detectable in caudal SMA (except the most antero-superior part), implicating a motor executive role. Our observations of complexity-correlated rCBF increases in anterior globus palllidus suggest a specific role for the basal ganglia in the process of sequence facilitation and control. They may act to filter and focus input from motor cortical areas as patterns of action become increasingly complex.

Cannabis use decreases prefrontal glutamate levels in early psychosis

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S349-S350 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Rigucci ◽  
L. Xin ◽  
P. Klauser ◽  
P.S. Baumann ◽  
L. Alameda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Schizophrenia ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Cannabis Use ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Critical Question ◽  
Prodromal Phase ◽  
Correlative Analysis ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Competing Interest

Recent evidences have consistently reported lower glutamate (Glu) levels in various brain regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), in chronic schizophrenia but findings in the early (EP) or in the prodromal phase of the disorder are equivocal. Although regular cannabis use has been associated with an increased risk of subsequent psychosis and with a perturbed Glu signalling, to date, the critical question of whether or not Glu abnormalities exist in EP and are related to cannabis use remains unanswered. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to measure [GlumPFC] of 35 EP subjects (18 of whom were regular cannabis users) and 33 healthy controls (HC). For correlative analysis, neuropsychological performances were scored by a comprehensive cognitive battery. [GlumPFC] was lower in EP users comparing to both HC and EP non-users (P = 0.001 and P = 0.01, respectively), while no differences were observed between HC and EP non-users. In EP users Glu declined with age (r = −0.46; P = 0.04) but this relationship was not observed in non-users. Among neuropsychological profiles, working memory was the only domain that differentiates patients depending on their cannabis use, with users having poorer performances. In summary, our research revealed that cannabis use in EP is associated with Glu decreased levels, which are normally not seen in the early phase of the disorder. This finding is in line with previous 1H-MRS studies in cannabis users without a psychotic disorder and sheds light for the role of cannabis use in the progression of the disease.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals Basal ganglia and cerebellar contributions to vocal emotion processing: a high resolution fMRI study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Ceravolo ◽  
Sascha Frühholz ◽  
Jordan Pierce ◽  
Didier Grandjean ◽  
Julie Péron
Keyword(s):  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Globus Pallidus ◽  
Subthalamic Nucleus ◽  
Effective Connectivity ◽  
Emotion Processing ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Fmri Study ◽  
Vocal Emotion

AbstractUntil recently, brain networks underlying emotional voice prosody decoding and processing were focused on modulations in primary and secondary auditory, ventral frontal and prefrontal cortices, and the amygdala. Growing interest for a specific role of the basal ganglia and cerebellum was recently brought into the spotlight. In the present study, we aimed at characterizing the role of such subcortical brain regions in vocal emotion processing, at the level of both brain activation and functional and effective connectivity, using high resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging. Variance explained by low-level acoustic parameters (fundamental frequency, voice energy) was also modelled. Wholebrain data revealed expected contributions of the temporal and frontal cortices, basal ganglia and cerebellum to vocal emotion processing, while functional connectivity analyses highlighted correlations between basal ganglia and cerebellum, especially for angry voices. Seed-to-seed and seed-to-voxel effective connectivity revealed direct connections within the basal ganglia ̶ especially between the putamen and external globus pallidus ̶ and between the subthalamic nucleus and the cerebellum. Our results speak in favour of crucial contributions of the basal ganglia, especially the putamen, external globus pallidus and subthalamic nucleus, and several cerebellar lobules and nuclei for an efficient decoding of and response to vocal emotions.

scholarly journals Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy in evaluation of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy in pediatric age group

2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatma Ibrahim Soliman Elshal ◽  
Walid Ahmed Elshehaby ◽  
Mahmoud Abd elaziz Dawoud ◽  
Ekhlas Abdelmonem Shaban
Keyword(s):  
White Matter ◽  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Magnetic Resonance ◽  
Motor Development ◽  
Perinatal Asphyxia ◽  
Neurodevelopmental Outcome ◽  
Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy ◽  
Resonance Spectroscopy ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Ischemic Encephalopathy

Abstract Background Hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy is a major cause of pediatric mortality and morbidity, with possible long-term neurologic sequel, such as cerebral palsy. With improvements in care of at-risk neonates, more children survive. This makes it increasingly important to assess, soon after birth, the prognosis of children with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. The aim of the study was to assess the additive role of magnetic resonance spectroscopy over conventional MRI in diagnosis and early prediction of pathological motor development in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Results MRS ratios showed significant difference between unfavorable and normal outcome infants. MRS ratios as Lac/Cr, NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho within basal ganglia, thalamus and white matter can significantly differentiate between patients with normal and pathological outcome at 1 year. Lac/Cr positively correlates with the severity of HIE. Both NAA/Cr and NAA/Cho negatively correlate with the severity of the disease. Ratios cutoff values as Lac/Cr above 0.38 and 0.42 in basal ganglia and white matter, respectively, NAA/Cr below 0.9 and 0.8 in basal ganglia and occipital white matter, respectively, and NAA/Cho below 0.29 and 0.31 in basal ganglia and frontal white matter, respectively, were significantly predictive of pathological outcome. Conclusion High Lac/Cr, low NAA/Cr and low NAA/Cho ratios within examined regions of the brain including deep grey matter nuclei as well as white matter are associated with an adverse outcome in infants with perinatal asphyxia. MRS is an accurate quantitative MR biomarker within the neonatal period for prediction of neurodevelopmental outcome after perinatal HIE. MRS may be useful in early clinical management decisions, and counseling parents thereby ensuring appropriate early intervention and rehabilitation.

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