Longitudinal study of the substantia nigra in Parkinson disease: A high‐field 1H‐MR spectroscopy imaging study. Issue 10 (31st July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Seraji‐Bozorgzad, Navid; Bao, Fen; George, Edwin; Krstevska, Shana; Gorden, Veronica; Chorostecki, Jessica; Santiago, Carla; Zak, Imad; Caon, Christina; Khan, Omar
• Is Part Of: Movement disorders. Volume 30:Issue 10(2015)
• Page Start: 1400
• Page End: 1404
• Publication Date: 2015-07-31
• Subjects: Movement disorders -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1002/mds.26323
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0885-3185

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="mds26323-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Introduction</title> <p>The value of biomarkers in early diagnosis and development of therapeutics in Parkinson's disease (PD) is well established.</p> </sec> <sec id="mds26323-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>We used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in a prospective, longitudinal study of 23 patients with early PD, naïve to dopaminergic therapy, and six age‐matched healthy controls to examine the temporal changes in metabolic profile of substantia nigra over a period of 3 months.</p> </sec> <sec id="mds26323-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p> <italic>N</italic>‐acetyl aspartate to creatine ratio at month 3 was compared with baseline values in the PD and control groups, as well as the side‐to‐side difference of the ratio at baseline. By month 3, <italic>n</italic>‐acetyl aspartate to creatine ratio had decreased by 4.4% in patients with PD (<italic>P</italic> = 0.024), without a concomitant change in healthy controls. The side‐to‐side asymmetry was significantly higher in the PD group (16.7%) vs. healthy controls (1.6%, <italic>P =</italic> 0.0024).</p> </sec> <sec id="mds26323-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>Estimation of change in the <italic>n</italic>‐acetyl aspartate to creatine ratio appears to be a fast, quantifiable, and reliable marker of dopaminergic neuronal viability in PD. © 2015 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society</p> </sec> </abstract>