title: Single voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in post-stroke depression.
abstract: Mood disorders are associated with structural, metabolic and spectroscopic changes in prefrontal regions. In the case of depression associated with stroke, there is little information about the biochemical profile of these regions, as assessed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS). In a group of first-ever stroke patients, we studied the association between post-stroke depression and (1)H-MRS measurements in unaffected frontal lobes. Twenty-six patients with a first ischemic stroke located outside the frontal lobes were included in the study. Single voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) was performed to assess N-acetylaspartate/creatine (NAA)/Cr, glutamate+glutamine (Glx)/Cr, choline (Cho)/Cr and myo-inositol (mI)/Cr ratios. Patients were assessed within the first 10 days after stroke and again four months later. The diagnosis of depression was made on the basis of clinical observation, interview and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores. In a group of 26 patients, eight (31%) met criteria for depression at the first assessment, and nine (35%) met criteria for depression at follow-up. Patients with depression in the immediate post-stroke phase had significantly higher Glx/Cr ratios in the contralesional hemisphere than non-depressive patients. No biochemical differences were found between the groups at 4-month follow-up. These findings suggest that post-stroke depression is accompanied by changes in frontal lobe glutamate/glutamine levels, perhaps reflecting abnormalities in glutamatergic transmission in the immediate post-stroke period.
authors.affiliation: Center for Brain Health, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. lidia.sobanska@med.nyu.edu
authors.forename: Lidia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Glodzik-Sobanska
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slowik
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: McHugh
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sobiecka
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kozub
authors.forename: Kenneth E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Rich
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urbanik
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szczudlik
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D005973:Glutamine; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D007294:Inositol; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline