title: Evidence for a cerebral effect of the hepatitis C virus.
abstract: Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection frequently complain of symptoms akin to the chronic fatigue syndrome and score worse on health-related quality of life indices than matched controls. We address the hypothesis that HCV itself affects cerebral function. Using proton magnetic-resonance spectroscopy we have shown elevations in basal ganglia and white matter choline/creatine ratios in patients with histologically-mild hepatitis C, compared with healthy volunteers and patients with hepatitis B. This elevation is unrelated to hepatic encephalopathy or a history of intravenous drug abuse, and suggests that a biological process underlies the extrahepatic symptoms in chronic HCV infection.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Forton
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Allsop
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Main
authors.forename: G R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Foster
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Taylor-Robinson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000473:pathology; D001480:Basal Ganglia Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D001706:Biopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline