title: How can we measure substrate, metabolite and neurotransmitter concentrations in the human brain?
abstract: Cerebral injury and disease is associated with fundamental derangements in metabolism, with changes in the concentration of important substrates (e.g. glucose), metabolites (e.g. lactate) and neurotransmitters (e.g. glutamate and y-aminobutyric acid) in addition to changes in oxygen utilization. The ability to measure these substances in the human brain is increasing our understanding of the pathophysiology of trauma, stroke, epilepsy and tumours. There are several techniques in clinical practice already in use and new methods are under evaluation. Such techniques include the use of cerebral probes (e.g. microdialysis. voltammetry and spectrophotometry) and functional imaging (e.g. positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance spectroscopy). This review describes these techniques in terms of their principles and clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery and Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital, University of Cambridge, UK. p.hutch@which.net
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Pickard
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D017551:Microdialysis / Q000379:methods*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D019344:Lactic Acid; D005947:Glucose; D010100:Oxygen