title: In vivo 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy study of amygdala-hippocampal and parietal regions in autism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The neural basis for autistic spectrum disorders is unclear, but abnormalities in the development of limbic areas and of glutamate have been suggested. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) can be used to measure the concentration of brain metabolites. However, the concentration of glutamate/glutamine in brain regions implicated in autistic spectrum disorders has not yet been examined in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors used (1)H-MRS to investigate the neuronal integrity of the amygdala-hippocampal complex and a parietal control region in adults with autistic spectrum disorders and healthy subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  People with autistic spectrum disorders had a significantly higher concentration of glutamate/glutamine and creatine/phosphocreatine in the amygdala-hippocampal region but not in the parietal region.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abnormalities in glutamate/glutamine may partially underpin the pathophysiology of autistic spectrum disorders, and the authors confirm earlier reports that limbic areas are metabolically aberrant in these disorders.
authors.affiliation: Section of Brain Maturation, Institute of Psychiatry, London.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: Eileen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schmitz
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simmons
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Toal
authors.forename: Quinton
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Deeley
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ambery
authors.forename: Grainne M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: McAlonan
authors.forename: Kieran C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: Declan G M
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000679:Amygdala / Q000378:metabolism*; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005971:Glutamates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism*; D010725:Phosphocreatine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005971:Glutamates; D010725:Phosphocreatine; D005973:Glutamine; D003401:Creatine