[1H-MRS of the hippocampus of psychogenic erectile dysfunction].
OBJECTIVE
To study the changes of the hippocampus metabolites with MRS to provide some clues for exploring the possible underlying unrecognised factors and pathophysiological mechanisms of psychogenic erectile dysfunction (ED).


METHODS
Fifteen cases of psychogenic erectile dysfunction and 15 normal volunteers (the control) were studied by a clinical 1. 5T MRI/MRS system. Proton multi-voxel spectroscopy imaging (1H-MRSI) was obtained from both sides of the hippocampus region. N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine and phosphocreatine (Cr) and choline-containing compounds (Cho) were determined and the ratios of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr were calculated respectively.


RESULTS
The NAA/Cr ratio was significantly lower in the ED patients than in the control (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the Cho/Cr ratio between the two groups (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Psychogenic erectile dysfunction may not be simply a functional disease. The hippocampus may be involved in the pathophysiology of psychogenic ED. The disease may have some previously unrecognised underlying aetiological factors and pathophysiological mechanisms.
Yang
Bo
B
Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430030, China. whybo88@sohu.com
Wang
Tao
T
Zhou
Yi-Cheng
YC
Liu
Ji-Hong
JH
Xia
Li-Ming
LM
Wang
Cheng-Yuan
CY
D000328:Adult; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003401:Creatine / Q000032:analysis; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000032:analysis; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*
D010725:Phosphocreatine; D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine