1H-MRS of the hippocampus of psychogenic erectile dysfunction / 中华男科学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the changes of the hippocampus metabolites with MRS to provide some clues for exploring the possible underlying unrecognised factors and pathophysiological mechanisms of psychogenic erectile dysfunction (ED).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifteen cases of psychogenic erectile dysfunction and 15 normal volunteers (the control) were studied by a clinical 1. 5T MRI/MRS system. Proton multi-voxel spectroscopy imaging (1H-MRSI) was obtained from both sides of the hippocampus region. N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine and phosphocreatine (Cr) and choline-containing compounds (Cho) were determined and the ratios of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr were calculated respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The NAA/Cr ratio was significantly lower in the ED patients than in the control (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the Cho/Cr ratio between the two groups (P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Psychogenic erectile dysfunction may not be simply a functional disease. The hippocampus may be involved in the pathophysiology of psychogenic ED. The disease may have some previously unrecognised underlying aetiological factors and pathophysiological mechanisms.</p>