title: Imaging central neurochemical alterations in chronic pain with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
abstract: Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used extensively in the study of various neurobiological disorders: depression, schizophrenia, autism, etc. But its application to chronic pain is relatively new. Not many studies in chronic pain have used (1)H-MRS. The unique ability of (1)H-MRS to assess both static and dynamic levels of glutamate and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) gives this method a unique position in neuroscience. Emerging evidence in chronic pain suggests an elevated excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmitter ratio is present within brain regions involved in pain processing. The combination of (1)H-MRS imaging with pharmacologic interventions holds significant promise as a direct one-to-one matching of disease pathology with drug mechanism of action can be made. As such (1)H-MRS may be useful in discovery of novel compounds for chronic pain. Research in these areas may lead to improved diagnosis and treatment of these complex patients.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan, Department of Anesthesiology, 24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, P.O. Box 385, Lobby M, Ann Arbor, MI 48106, United States. reharris@med.umich.edu
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Clauw
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D055808:Drug Discovery; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D059906:Neuroimaging; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D005973:Glutamine; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid