Neither short-term nor long-term administration of oral choline alters metabolite concentrations in human brain.
BACKGROUND
This study reexamined conflicting proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) reports of increased or unaffected choline-containing compounds (Cho) in human brain in response to a single dose of 50 mg/kg choline bitartrate.


METHODS
The present work was based on a well-established strategy for quantitative proton MRS (2.0 T, STEAM localization sequence, TR/TE/TM = 6000/20/10 ms, LCModel automated spectral evaluation) that allows the determination of cerebral metabolite concentrations rather than T1-weighted resonance intensity ratios. Moreover, the investigations were extended to a possible long-term effect of oral choline by monitoring the continuous ingestion of 2 x 16 g of lecithin per day for 4 weeks. Six young healthy volunteers participated in each study and metabolite concentrations were determined in standardized locations in gray matter, white matter, cerebellum, and thalamus.


RESULTS
Neither for short-term nor for long-term administration of choline do the data reveal statistically significant deviations from the basal concentrations of Cho, total N-acetyl-containing compounds (neuronal markers), total creatine, and myo-inositol (glial marker) in any of the investigated brain regions.


CONCLUSIONS
Previous reports of increased Cho are not confirmed.
Dechent
P
P
Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut für Biophysikalische Chemie, Göttingen, Germany.
Pouwels
P J
PJ
Frahm
J
J
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002794:Choline / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism*; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010725:Phosphocreatine; D007294:Inositol; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline