Magnetic resonance spectroscopic changes in Alzheimer's disease.
In vitro and in vivo 31P magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy studies of Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain have revealed alterations in membrane phospholipid metabolism and high-energy phosphate metabolism. Mildly demented AD patients compared with control subjects have increased levels of phosphomonoesters, decreased levels of phosphocreatine and probably adenosine diphosphate and an increased oxidative metabolic rate. As the dementia worsens, levels of phosphomonoesters decrease and levels of phosphocreatine and adenosine di-phosphate increase. The changes in oxidative metabolic rate suggest that the AD brain is under energetic stress. The phosphomonoester findings support our in vitro findings and implicate basic defects in membrane metabolism in AD brain. MR spectroscopy provides new diagnostic insights and a noninvasive method to follow the progression of the disease and the metabolic response to therapeutic interventions.
Pettegrew
J W
JW
Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
Klunk
W E
WE
Panchalingam
K
K
McClure
R J
RJ
Stanley
J A
JA
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008954:Models, Biological; D008958:Models, Molecular
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D001057:Apolipoproteins E; D008051:Lipid Bilayers