title: Brain metabolite changes in alcoholism: an in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) study.
abstract: Image-guided, single voxel, localized proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy was performed to assess the brain metabolite changes in 10 (n = 10) alcoholic patients in the frontal lobe, cerebellum, and thalamus regions. The spectra obtained were characterized by a reduced N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) to choline (Cho) (p < .01) and NAA to total creatine (Cr + PCr) (p < .01) ratios relative to age-matched (n = 27) controls. These decreased ratios correspond to depleted concentration of the metabolite levels such as NAA and Cho. Reduction of NAA is consistent with the neuronal loss while reduction in Cho suggests significant changes in the membrane lipids of alcoholics.
authors.affiliation: Department of N.M.R., All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Jagannathan
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Raghunathan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011522:Protons; D013788:Thalamus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D011522:Protons