Choline ingestion increases the resonance of choline-containing compounds in human brain: an in vivo proton magnetic resonance study.
Choline is a crucial intermediate in several clinically relevant neurochemical processes. In this study, choline-containing compounds in human brain (principally phosphocholine, glycero-phosphocholine, and choline) were measured by 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy, before and after the ingestion of 50 mg/kg choline in four normal control subjects. Substantial and remarkably similar increases in the brain choline resonance occurred in each subject, with a nearly two-fold rise in the choline resonance observed 3 hr following choline ingestion (p = 0.008 versus baseline). One subject also received a dose of 200 mg/kg choline, and exhibited a proportionally larger increase in the brain choline resonance. The results are consistent with animal data reporting a rise in choline-containing compounds following choline administration. This is the first study to our knowledge where an oral nutrient has been shown to produce a detectable change in human brain composition in vivo. Studying choline transport and biotransformation in human brain may have relevance to several neuropsychiatric disorders, including affective disorders and dementia.
Stoll
A L
AL
Brain Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA.
Renshaw
P F
PF
De Micheli
E
E
Wurtman
R
R
Pillay
S S
SS
Cohen
B M
BM
D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000502:physiology; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D002794:Choline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005997:Glycerylphosphorylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D012016:Reference Values; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*
D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D005997:Glycerylphosphorylcholine; D002794:Choline; D000109:Acetylcholine