title: Quantitative magnetic resonance spectroscopy of schizophrenia: relationship between decreased N-acetylaspartate and frontal lobe dysfunction.
abstract: Numerous studies using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) have detected signal changes in schizophrenia. However, most studies investigated relative concentrations such as N-acetylaspartate/creatine plus phosphocreatine (NAA/Cre) and choline-containing compounds/creatine plus phosphocreatine (Cho/Cre), and individual metabolite concentrations have not been clarified. Using absolute quantification measurement of 1H-MRS, the aim of the present paper was to demonstrate the changes in metabolite concentrations in the frontal lobe of patients with chronic schizophrenia. The 1H-MRS was performed in the left frontal lobe in 14 patients with schizophrenia and in 13 healthy comparison subjects. Individual MRS peak concentration was quantified based on a frequency-domain fitting program: LCModel. The scores on the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale and Wisconsin Card Sorting Test were used for clinical assessment. The NAA concentration was reduced in schizophrenic patients (average, 7.94 mmol/L, t=2.28, P<0.05) compared with healthy subjects (average=8.45 mmol/L) while choline, creatine or NAA/Cre ratio did not show any differences. The reduction in NAA concentration had a significant correlation with the severity of negative symptoms (r=-0.536, P<0.05) and poor performance in Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (r=-0.544, P<0.05). Using quantitative MRS, decreased NAA concentration was confirmed in the left frontal lobe of schizophrenic patients and was demonstrated to be correlated with negative symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University School of Medicine, and Asai Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Obata
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sassa
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yoshitome
authors.forename: Yoshiyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asai
authors.forename: Hiroo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ikehira
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suhara
authors.forename: Yoshiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okubo
authors.forename: Toru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology
chemical_list: D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline