Abstract
This study investigates changes in substantia nigra metabolites in Parkinson’s disease (PD) using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H- MRS). Thirty patients with asymmetric PD and 20 normal controls were included in this study. Substantia nigra metabolites were detected in all subjects using 3D-multimer 1H-MRS with a 3.0 T MRI scanner. The relative ratios of NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, NAA/(Cho + Cr) in the substantia nigra were compared between two sides of asymmetric PD patients as well as between PD patients and controls. Significant differences in NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, NAA/(Cho + Cr) were observed between PD patients and healthy controls (P < 0.05) as well as between the ipsilateral and contralateral of affected extremity in PD patients (P < 0.05). Significant differences in NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, NAA/(Cho + Cr) were also observed between patients with mild and severe PD. Thus, we found that 1H-MRS can be used to detect substantia nigra metabolites in PD patients, which may be useful for early diagnosis and evaluation of PD.
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Bing Zhou and Fangzhen Yuan contributed equally to the study.
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Zhou, B., Yuan, F., He, Z. et al. Application of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy on substantia nigra metabolites in Parkinson’s disease. Brain Imaging and Behavior 8, 97–101 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-013-9251-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-013-9251-2