Document Detail


Regional decoupling of N-acetyl-aspartate and glutamate in schizophrenia.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  22805603     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS) allows the non-invasive measurement of several metabolites, including N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), an amino acid exclusively synthesized in the mitochondria of neurons, and glutamate, an amino acid involved in excitatory neurotransmission and metabolism. In view of recent postmortem studies in schizophrenia (SZ) revealing mitochondrial abnormalities as well as perturbed expression of the enzymes regulating the glutamate-glutamine cycle, we hypothesized that a disruption in the homeostasis of NAA and glutamate in SZ is present. Fifty subjects with SZ and 48 matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in this ¹H-MRS study. Voxels were placed in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and hippocampus; NAA/Cr and glutamate + glutamine (Glx)/Cr ratios were obtained. We did not find any significant differences between the groups in metabolite levels in both the ACC and hippocampus. In the hippocampus we found that NAA/Cr and Glx/Cr ratios were significantly correlated in HC (r=0.40, p<0.01 (corrected p=0.048)) but not in SZ (r=-0.06; p=0.71), a difference that was statistically significant (z=2.22, p=0.02). Although no differences in neurometabolites between SZ and HC were apparent, correlations between NAA/Cr and Glx/Cr in healthy subjects in the hippocampus were found, and this correlation was lost in subjects with SZ. To our knowledge, this is the first study to suggest decoupling of these metabolites, a pathophysiological change that may be unique to SZ. However, these results warrant replication and further exploration before definite conclusions can be drawn.
Authors:
Nina V Kraguljac; Meredith A Reid; David M White; Jan den Hollander; Adrienne C Lahti
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural     Date:  2012-07-18
Journal Detail:
Title:  Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology     Volume:  37     ISSN:  1740-634X     ISO Abbreviation:  Neuropsychopharmacology     Publication Date:  2012 Nov 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2012-10-16     Completed Date:  2013-03-22     Revised Date:  2013-04-16    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8904907     Medline TA:  Neuropsychopharmacology     Country:  England    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  2635-42     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives*,  physiology
Brain Chemistry
Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
Female
Glutamic Acid / physiology*
Hippocampus / metabolism
Homeostasis / physiology
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Male
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Schizophrenia / metabolism*
Schizophrenic Psychology
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
R01 MH081014/MH/NIMH NIH HHS; R01 MH081014/MH/NIMH NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
56-84-8/Aspartic Acid; 56-86-0/Glutamic Acid; 997-55-7/N-acetylaspartate

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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