title: 1H MR spectroscopy in common dementias.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the 1H MR spectroscopic (MRS) findings and intergroup differences among common dementias: Alzheimer disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors consecutively recruited 206 normal elderly subjects and 121 patients with AD, 41 with FTLD, 20 with DLB, and 8 with VaD. The 1H MRS metabolite ratio changes in common dementias were evaluated with respect to normal and also differences among the common dementias.
  
  
  RESULTS
  N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) was lower than normal in patients with AD, FTLD, and VaD. Myo-inositol (mI)/Cr was higher than normal in patients with AD and FTLD. Choline (Cho)/Cr was higher than normal in patients with AD, FTLD, and DLB. There were no metabolite differences between patients with AD and FTLD or between patients with DLB and VaD. NAA/Cr was lower in patients with AD and FTLD than DLB. MI/Cr was higher in patients with AD and FTLD than VaD. MI/Cr was also higher in patients with FTLD than DLB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NAA/Cr levels are decreased in dementias that are characterized by neuron loss, such as AD, FTLD, and VaD. MI/Cr levels are elevated in dementias that are pathologically characterized by gliosis, such as AD and FTLD. Cho/Cr levels are elevated in dementias that are characterized by a profound cholinergic deficit, such as AD and DLB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Mayo Clinic 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kantarci
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Boeve
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Knopman
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Tang-Wai
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Weigand
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Edland
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ivnik
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Ferman
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Tangalos
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Jack
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism; D020961:Lewy Body Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011522:Protons
chemical_list: D011522:Protons; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D007294:Inositol; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline; D000109:Acetylcholine