Detections of brain biochemical changes in prefrontal lobes of the adolescents with depression using magnetic resonance spectroscopy / 实用医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the brain biochemical changes in the frontal lobe of adolescents with depression using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS). Methods Twenty-four patients and twenty-three healthy subjects matched for age, sex and education level were enrolled in the study. All the subjects underwent multivoxel 1H MRS to measure the bilateral metabolic levels of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), creatine (Cr) in the prefrontal lobes. Results The NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios in the left dorsolateral prefrontal white matter of the depressive adolescents were significantly lower than those of the healthy subjects [NAA/Cr 1.67 ± 0.32, t = 3.126, P = 0.004; Cho/Cr 1.28 ± 0.30, t = 2.362, P = 0.024], and the ratios of NAA/Cr in the right dorsolateral prefrontal white matter of the depressive adolescents was also significantly lower than that of the healthy subjects [NAA/Cr1.65 ± 0.26, t=2.969, P=0.006]. There was no significant difference in the metabolic ratios in the bilateral anterior cingulate gray matter between the depressive adolescents and the healthy controls. Conclusions Biochemical abnormalities in prefrontal white matter are involved in the pathophysiology of depression. Importantly , these abnormalities are already present early in the course of the disorder.