title: Proton spectroscopy study of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in youth with familial depression.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Structural, functional, and metabolic changes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) are implicated in the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD). We used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1) H-MRS) to examine the metabolite choline (glycerophosphocholine plus phosphocholine), which is used as an index of membrane integrity in the left DLPFC, in adolescents and young adults with MDD who were treatment-resistant and had a positive family history compared to healthy controls. Differences in the choline resonance indicate an imbalance between synthesis and degradation activity of neuronal and glia membrane phospholipids.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen adolescents with MDD and 11 healthy controls underwent (1) H-MRS. A short echo point-resolved spectroscopy (echo time = 30 ms, repetition time = 2000 ms) protocol was used with a voxel (4.5cm(3) , 128 averages) placed within the left DLPFC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were significantly increased choline (P = 0.04) and creatine concentrations (P = 0.005) in the left DLPFC of the MDD group compared to controls. In MDD participants, choline concentration correlated with scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (r = 0.41, P = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased left DLPFC choline and creatine levels in depressed adolescents may be biomarkers for the disorder. The increased choline levels may indicate abnormalities in neuronal membrane integrity, and the increased creatine could be reflective of altered energy demands and metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ru
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Lisa Marie
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Langevin
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jaworska
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kirton
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, Montreal, Canada.|GE Healthcare, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: R Marc
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Lebel
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Ashley D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Yamile
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jasaui
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: T Christopher
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Wilkes
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sembo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Swansburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of Medicine, Montreal, Canada.|Child and Adolescent Imaging Research (CAIR) Program, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute for Child and Maternal Health, Montreal, Canada.|Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research & Education, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Montreal, Canada.|Strategic Clinical Network for Addictions and Mental Health, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, Montreal, Canada.
authors.forename: Frank P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: MacMaster
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000378:metabolism*; D061218:Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002794:Choline
keywords: adolescent; choline; creatine; depression; spectroscopy