title: (1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) in methamphetamine dependence and methamphetamine induced psychosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Methamphetamine (MA) use has been shown to decrease n-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), a marker of neuronal integrity and viability, on (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS). However, little work has compared (1)H-MRS in MA dependent individuals and MA dependent individuals with MA induced psychotic disorder (MAP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty six participants with MA dependence (sixteen without psychosis, ten with psychosis - MAP) and nineteen healthy controls underwent 2D-chemical shift imaging (1)H-MRS, which included voxels in the anterior cingulate cortices (ACC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortices (DLPFC), and frontal white matter. We compared metabolite concentrations relative to phosphocreatine+creatine (PCr+Cr) for n-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), n-acetyl-aspartate+n-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAA+NAAG), glutamate (Glu), glutamate+glutamine (Glu+Gln), myo-inositol, and glycerophosphocholine+phosphocholine (GPC+PCh) across groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MA groups showed significantly decreased relative NAA metabolite concentrations for right ACC and right DLPFC, compared with control group. The MA dependent group only showed significantly decreased choline metabolites for right DLPFC, compared with control group. The MAP group's relative NAA metabolite concentrations were significantly correlated with age of initial use and duration of MA use, these correlates were not apparent in MA dependent group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MA use is associated with decreased neuronal integrity and viability, specifically in the right ACC and right DLPFC. MA dependence showed active neurodegeneration in the right DLPFC, this was not apparent in the MAP group and may be related to the use of antipsychotic medication in the MAP group. The effects of MA use in MAP suggest that age of initial use presents a mismatch of neuronal plasticity, in frontal white vs. gray matter and duration of use relates to decreased neuronal integrity and viability. Further study is warranted from this initial study of (1)H-MRS in MAP, in particular longitudinal assessment of these individuals both neurobiologically ((1)H-MRS) and clinically - to determine disease progression.
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: howellsfleur@gmail.com.
authors: Fleur M
authors: FM
authors: Howells
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Uhlmann
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors: Henk
authors: H
authors: Temmingh
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors: Heidi
authors: H
authors: Sinclair
authors: Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors: Ernesta
authors: E
authors: Meintjes
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors: Don
authors: D
authors: Wilson
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
authors: Dan J
authors: DJ
authors: Stein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002794:Choline; D003401:Creatine / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism; D011522:Protons; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011522:Protons; D005973:Glutamine; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D008694:Methamphetamine; D007294:Inositol; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D003401:Creatine; D002794:Choline
keywords: Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC); Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC); Frontal white matter; Methamphetamine (MA); Psychosis; n-Acetyl-aspartate (NAA)