title: Correlation between neurochemical metabolism and memory function in adolescent patients with depression: A multi-voxel ¹H magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We utilized multi-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) to detect biochemical abnormalities in dorsolateral prefrontal white matter and anterior cingulate gray matter and to determine the correlation of biochemical changes with memory function in depressed adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 24 depressed patients and 23 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. MRS was performed to assess the N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine Cr and choline (Cho)/Cr ratios in dorsolateral prefrontal white matter and anterior cingulate gray matter of participants. Memory function was measured on the basis of Wechsler Memory Scale scores, and depression was diagnosed on the basis of clinical observation, interview, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with controls, depressed patients had significantly lower NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios in left dorsolateral prefrontal white matter and lower NAA/Cr ratios in right dorsolateral prefrontal white matter (P < 0.05). No biochemical differences were identified in the bilateral anterior cingulate gray matter between the two groups. Nevertheless, the depressed patients showed significantly lower memory quotient than controls (P < 0.05). The NAA/Cr ratio in dorsolateral prefrontal white matter positively correlated with memory quotient (left: P < 0.01; right: P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that biochemical abnormalities in prefrontal white matter are involved in the pathophysiology of adolescent depression. In particular, such abnormalities are already present at the early stage of the disorder, and low NAA/Cr in bilateral anterior frontal white matter may be associated with memory impairment and related neuropathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, China.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.affiliation: Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.
authors.forename: Junfang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, China.
authors.forename: Haizhu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.
authors.forename: Xinjiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.
authors.forename: Xingyue
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shan Dong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Guangbin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.
authors.forename: Minghu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute, Shan Dong University, Jinan, China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000378:metabolism*; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000378:metabolism*; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D066127:White Matter / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: N-acetylaspartate; adolescent depression; magnetic resonance spectrum; memory function; prefrontal lobe