MR spectroscopy evaluation and short-term outcome of olfactory ensheathing cells transplantation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS) for detection of the motor cortex and adjacent brain in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients with apparent upper motor neuron involvement after olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) transplantation.


METHODS
From December 2004 to February 2005, 7 patients with clinically definite ALS who could safely undergo MRS were admitted into the perspective study. The neurological status, ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS), EMG, and 1H-MRS taken before and 2 weeks after operations were carefully analyzed. The NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios were measured in the cerebral peduncle, genu and posterior limb of the internal capsule, corona radiata and precentral gyrus.


RESULTS
The ALSFRS in 2 cases improved obviously whose ALSFRS increased from 30 to 33 and from 29 to 34 respectively. And 5 cases remained stable 2 weeks after OECs transplantation. Statistical analyses for all seven cases showed both the NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios decreased, but in the two cases with ALSFRS improvement the NAA/Cr increased in the certain anatomic position which confirmed the neurological and EMG findings.


CONCLUSIONS
The proton MR spectroscopy is a suitable noninvasive measure for ALS evaluation. The preliminary study suggests that two of the seven ALS cases improved apparently short-term after OECs transplantation. More patients are required for the clinical study and longer follow-up duration is needed for future research.
Huang
Hongyun
H
Beijing Xishan Institute for Neuroregeneration and Functional Recovery in Shijingshan District, Beijing, P. R. China. hongyun@mailcity.com
Tan
Ke
K
Chen
Lin
L
Xue
Yanping
Y
Wang
Hongmei
H
Xi
Haitao
H
Liu
Yancheng
Y
Zhang
Feng
F
Zhang
Jian
J
D000328:Adult; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D017690:Cell Transplantation; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000166:cytology / Q000637:transplantation*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011522:Protons; D020127:Recovery of Function
D011522:Protons; D001224:Aspartic Acid; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine