In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the medial temporal lobes of subjects with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.
Recent findings using volumetric MRI techniques have revealed that patients with combat-related and noncombat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have reductions in right hippocampal volume. Twenty-one veterans with PTSD and eight age-matched control veterans were studied using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to test the hypothesis that the N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid/creatine (NAA/Cr) ratio would be decreased in the right medial temporal lobe structures of patients with PTSD compared to controls. Patients with PTSD displayed significantly lower NAA/Cr ratio for the right medial temporal lobe relative to the left (P < or = 0.011). Patients with PTSD also had lower NAA/Cr in right medial temporal lobe (P < or = 0.013) and lower choline/Cr in left medial temporal lobe (P < or = 0.030) compared to control subjects. Because NAA is regarded as an indicator of neuronal density, this finding suggests that the neuronal density of right-sided medial temporal structures in patients with combat-related PTSD may be decreased.
Freeman
T W
TW
Department of Psychiatry, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and McClellan VA Medical Center, Little Rock 72205, USA.
Cardwell
D
D
Karson
C N
CN
Komoroski
R A
RA
D000328:Adult; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011522:Protons; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D014728:Veterans
D011522:Protons; D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine