title: Anterior cingulate cortex and cerebellar hemisphere neurometabolite changes in depression treatment: A 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We utilized single-voxel 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine biochemical abnormalities related to major depressive disorder (MDD) in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and cerebellar hemisphere before and after antidepressant treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen adult MDD patients and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were involved. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the brain was conducted in all subjects at the beginning of the study and the depressed subjects were reassessed after 8 weeks of antidepressant treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), total glutamine plus glutamate (Glx) and myo-inositol (MI) levels in the bilateral ACC were significantly lower in MDD patients than in controls (P < 0.05/3). MI in the bilateral cerebellar hemisphere were also decreased in patients compared with controls. After the treatment, the lower NAA, Glx and MI in ACC were normalized in MDD patients and the NAA and Glx increased compared to baseline values. The MI levels in the bilateral cerebellar hemisphere were also normalized in patients. MI and choline levels in the right cerebellar hemisphere were elevated compared to those at baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study suggests that metabolic abnormalities in the ACC and cerebellar hemisphere are implicated in MDD. Antidepressants may alter the local metabolic abnormalities in these areas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; Department of Neurology, Guangzhou First People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Li-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hai-Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Zhuo-Zhi
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Chong-Tao
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ren-Hua
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism*; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D002794:Choline; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005973:Glutamine; D007294:Inositol; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C000179:N-acetylaspartate
keywords: N-acetyl aspartate; choline; glutamate/glutamine; myo-inositol; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor