Temporal lobe proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of patients with first-episode psychosis.
OBJECTIVE
The authors measured the ratio of N-acetyl aspartate (a putative neuronal marker) to creatine-phosphocreatine in patients with first-episode psychosis by using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS).


METHODS
Temporal lobe 1H MRS was performed bilaterally on 13 patients with first-episode psychosis and 15 comparison subjects. The N-acetyl aspartate/creatine-phosphocreatine and choline/creatine-phosphocreatine ratios were determined.


RESULTS
The N-acetyl aspartate/creatine-phosphocreatine ratio of the psychotic patients was significantly lower than that of the comparison subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
These preliminary data suggest that abnormalities in temporal lobe N-acetyl aspartate concentration are present early in psychotic illness.
Renshaw
P F
PF
McLean Brain Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA 02178.
Yurgelun-Todd
D A
DA
Tohen
M
M
Gruber
S
S
Cohen
B M
BM
D000328:Adult; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D002794:Choline / Q000032:analysis; D003404:Creatinine / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000737:chemistry*
D010725:Phosphocreatine; D001224:Aspartic Acid; C025403:phosphocreatinine; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003404:Creatinine; D002794:Choline