title: Decreased relative brain tissue levels of inositol in fetal hydrocephalus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inositol seems to play a role in the development of the central nervous system. In this study, the brain tissue level of inositol in fetal hydrocephalus was compared with that of healthy control subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to examine the inositol over creatine ratio in the brain of 10 hydrocephalic human fetuses and 36 normal control subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Resolved signals for inositol and creatine were detected successfully in six hydrocephalic fetuses and in all control subjects. The inositol over creatine ratio was significantly lower in fetuses with hydrocephalus (P <.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This result supports speculations concerning the role of inositol in central nervous system development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Medical Center Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: René D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: Régine P M
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Steegers-Theunissen
authors.forename: Tom K A B
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Eskes
authors.forename: Arend
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heerschap
authors.forename: Paul P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: van den Berg
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology*; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000196:embryology*; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012016:Reference Values
chemical_list: D007294:Inositol; D003401:Creatine