In vivo evidence of neuronal loss in the hypothalamus of narcoleptic patients.
A dysfunction of the orexin (hypocretin) system in the hypothalamus has recently been linked to the pathogenesis of narcolepsy. The authors used in vivo proton MR spectroscopy to assess the N-acetylaspartate (NAA) content in the hypothalamus of narcoleptic patients. Hypothalamic NAA/creatine-phosphocreatine was reduced in narcoleptic patients compared with control subjects (p < 0.01). Hypothalamic neuronal loss/damage is a central pathogenetic feature in narcolepsy.
Lodi
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R
Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica, e Biotecnologia Applicata D. Campanacci, Universita' di Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. raffaele.lodi@unibo.it
Tonon
C
C
Vignatelli
L
L
Iotti
S
S
Montagna
P
P
Barbiroli
B
B
Plazzi
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism; D001284:Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002385:Cataplexy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000172:deficiency; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009290:Narcolepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000172:deficiency; D000068797:Orexins; D017286:Polysomnography
D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D000068797:Orexins; D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine