TY - JOUR
T1 - Changes in putamen N-acetylaspartate and choline ratios in untreated and levodopa-treated Parkinson's disease
T2 - A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study
AU - Ellis, C. M.
AU - Lemmens, G.
AU - Williams, S. C R
AU - Simmons, A.
AU - Dawson, J.
AU - Leigh, P. N.
AU - Chaudhuri, K. Ray
AU - Ray Chaudhuri, Kallol
PY - 1997/8
Y1 - 1997/8
N2 - We have carried out single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy centered on the putamen both ipsilateral and contralateral to the worst affected side in nine subjects with drug naive idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD); seven chronically levodopa-treated dyskinetic IPD subjects; and 11 age-matched healthy controls. Measurements of N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/choline (Cho), NAA/(Creatine + Phosphocreatine) (Cr+PCr), and Cho/(Cr + PCr) were made. We found a significant reduction in NAA/Cho ratios from the putamen contralateral to the most affected side in the drug-naive group (p = 0.009), but not the levodopa-treated IPD groups compared with controls. There were no significant differences in NAA/(Cr+PCr) or Cho/(Cr+PCr) ratios. In untreated IPD, reduced putaminal NAA/Cho ratios may reflect loss of nigrostriatal dopamine terminals or alternatively indicate a functional abnormality of striatal putaminal neurons, such as membrane dysfunction due to striatal deafferentation. This study suggests that NAA/Cho ratios may be affected by L-dopa therapy and this may provide a reversible marker of neuronal dysfunction in the striatum.
AB - We have carried out single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy centered on the putamen both ipsilateral and contralateral to the worst affected side in nine subjects with drug naive idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD); seven chronically levodopa-treated dyskinetic IPD subjects; and 11 age-matched healthy controls. Measurements of N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/choline (Cho), NAA/(Creatine + Phosphocreatine) (Cr+PCr), and Cho/(Cr + PCr) were made. We found a significant reduction in NAA/Cho ratios from the putamen contralateral to the most affected side in the drug-naive group (p = 0.009), but not the levodopa-treated IPD groups compared with controls. There were no significant differences in NAA/(Cr+PCr) or Cho/(Cr+PCr) ratios. In untreated IPD, reduced putaminal NAA/Cho ratios may reflect loss of nigrostriatal dopamine terminals or alternatively indicate a functional abnormality of striatal putaminal neurons, such as membrane dysfunction due to striatal deafferentation. This study suggests that NAA/Cho ratios may be affected by L-dopa therapy and this may provide a reversible marker of neuronal dysfunction in the striatum.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0030840579&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1212/WNL.49.2.438
DO - 10.1212/WNL.49.2.438
M3 - Article
C2 - 9270574
AN - SCOPUS:0030840579
SN - 0028-3878
VL - 49
SP - 438
EP - 444
JO - Neurology
JF - Neurology
IS - 2
ER -