title: Lactate, N-acetylaspartate, choline and creatine concentrations, and spin-spin relaxation in thalamic and occipito-parietal regions of developing human brain.
abstract: Previous studies of the brains of normal infants demonstrated lower lactate (Lac)/choline (Cho), Lac/creatine (Cr), and Lac/ N-acetylaspartate (Naa) peak-area ratios in the thalamic region (predominantly gray matter) compared with occipitoparietal (mainly unmyelinated white matter) values. In the present study, thalamic Cho, Cr, and Naa concentrations between 32-42 weeks' gestational plus postnatal age were greater than occipito-parietal: 4.6 +/- 0.8 (mean +/- SE), 10.5 +/- 2.0, and 9.0 +/- 0.7 versus 1.8 +/- 0.6, 5.8 +/- 1.5, and 3.4 +/- 1.1 mmol/kg wet weight, respectively: Lac concentrations were similar, 2.7 +/- 0.6 and 3.3 +/- 1.3 mmol/kg wet weight, respectively. In the thalamic region, Cho and Naa T2s increased, and Cho and Lac concentrations decreased, during development. Lower thalamic Lac peak-area ratios are principally due to higher thalamic concentrations of Cho, Cr, and Naa rather than less Lac. The high thalamic Cho concentration may relate to active myelination; the high thalamic Naa concentration may be due to advanced gray-matter development including active myelination. Lac concentration is higher in neonatal than in adult brain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Physics and Bioengineering, University College London Hospitals, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Cady
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Penrice
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Amess
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lorek
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wylezinska
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Aldridge
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Franconi
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: E O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Reynolds
mesh_terms: D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000032:analysis; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002794:Choline / Q000032:analysis*; D003401:Creatine / Q000032:analysis*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000032:analysis*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013788:Thalamus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D001224:Aspartic Acid; D019344:Lactic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline