In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study on premature aging in adult Down's syndrome.
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) was performed in a group of 18 adult patients with Down's syndrome (DS) aged 20-46 years, and the peak area ratios (NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, NAA/Cho) of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), total creatine (Cr), and choline-containing compounds (Cho) calculated separately in the patients in their 20's, 30's, and 40's. In age-matched healthy control groups, there were no significant age-related changes in any of the peak area ratios. In contrast, in the DS group, although the relative amount of NAA (NAA/Cr) showed no significant change with increasing age, the relative amount of Cho (Cho/Cr and NAA/Cho) was significantly increased in the 40's group. At least as judged by MRI, few age-related general morphological changes such as brain atrophy were apparent in the third, fourth, and fifth decade groups. However, the MRI findings considered together with the age-related changes in the peak area ratios suggest that in DS patients in the fifth decade metabolic abnormalities such as degradation and/or rapid synthesis of brain cell membrane may occur prior to neuronal loss and degeneration.
Department of Neuropsychiatry, Fukui Medical School, Japan.
T
T
Murata
Y
Y
Koshino
M
M
Omori
I
I
Murata
M
M
Nishio
T
T
Horie
Y
Y
Umezawa
K
K
Isaki
H
H
Kimura
S
S
Itoh
D000328:Adult; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000378:metabolism*; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013570:Synaptic Membranes / Q000502:physiology
D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003404:Creatinine; D002794:Choline