1H chemical shift imaging of the human brain at age 60-90 years reveals metabolic differences between women and men.
1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to compare brain metabolism in 540 elderly persons, stratified by sex and age (60-90 years old). An 8 x 8 x 2 cm3 supraventricular brain volume, a transverse plane parallel to the canthomeatal line, was examined by automated 1H chemical shift imaging [point-resolved spectroscopy (PRESS), TE of 35 msec]. Regional choline (Cho), creatine (Cr), and N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) peak areas in the 518 successful examinations (96%) were studied by division through the total area of the particular metabolite in each spectral map. This procedure eliminated intersubject variance, maximized intervoxel variance (26 < or = F < or = 149, P < 0.0001) and reduced the standard deviations in the voxel metabolite signals threefold. Normalized signals in women (n = 257) and men (n = 261) differed in 9 (Cho/sigma Cho), 8 (Cr/sigma Cr), and 10 (NAA/sigma NAA) of 36 voxels examined (P < or = 0.001). In the cingulate gyrus Cho/sigma Cho, Cr/sigma Cr, and NAA/sigma NAA were reduced in men compared with women. These findings are consistent with a sex-related reduction of glucose metabolism in the same brain lobe revealed by positron emission tomography.
Dr. Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, University Hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands. sijens@radh.azr.nl
P E
PE
Sijens
M
M
Oudkerk
F E
FE
de Leeuw
J C
JC
de Groot
E
E
Achten
R
R
Heijboer
A
A
Hofman
M M
MM
Breteler
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose; D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline