Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of the Substantia Nigra in Schizophrenia

Overview

Journal Schizophr Res

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2013 May 28

PMID 23706412

Citations 14

Authors

Meredith A Reid

Nina V Kraguljac

Kathy B Avsar

David M White

Jan A den Hollander

Adrienne C Lahti

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Converging evidence in schizophrenia points to disruption of the dopamine and glutamate neurotransmitter systems in the pathophysiology of the disorder. Dopamine is produced in the substantia nigra, but few neuroimaging studies have specifically targeted this structure. In fact, no studies of the substantia nigra in schizophrenia have used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). We sought to demonstrate the feasibility of acquiring single-voxel MRS measurements at 3T from the substantia nigra and to determine which metabolites could be reliably quantified in schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.

Methods: We used a turbo spin echo sequence with magnetization transfer contrast to visualize the substantia nigra and single-voxel proton MRS to quantify levels of N-acetylaspartate, glutamate and glutamine (Glx), and choline in the left substantia nigra of 35 people with schizophrenia and 22 healthy controls.

Results: We obtained spectra from the substantia nigra and quantified neurometabolites in both groups. We found no differences in levels of N-acetylaspartate/creatine, Glx/creatine, or choline/creatine between the groups. We found a significant correlation between Glx/creatine and overall cognitive performance, measured with the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), in controls but not patients, a difference that was statistically significant.

Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the feasibility of obtaining single-voxel MRS data from the substantia nigra in schizophrenia. Such measurements may prove useful in understanding the biochemistry underlying cellular function in a region implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.

Citing Articles

Meta-analytic evidence of elevated choline, reduced N-acetylaspartate, and normal creatine in schizophrenia and their moderation by measurement quality, echo time, and medication status.

Yang Y, Smucny J, Zhang H, Maddock R Neuroimage Clin. 2023; 39:103461.

PMID: 37406595 PMC: 10509531. DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2023.103461.

Associations between N-Acetylaspartate and white matter integrity in individuals with schizophrenia and unaffected relatives.

Roberts D, Rosler L, Wijnen J, Thakkar K Psychiatry Res Neuroimaging. 2023; 330:111612.

PMID: 36805928 PMC: 10023491. DOI: 10.1016/j.pscychresns.2023.111612.

Glutamatergic and GABAergic metabolite levels in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders: a meta-analysis of H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies.

Nakahara T, Tsugawa S, Noda Y, Ueno F, Honda S, Kinjo M Mol Psychiatry. 2021; 27(1):744-757.

PMID: 34584230 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-021-01297-6.

Contribution of substantia nigra glutamate to prediction error signals in schizophrenia: a combined magnetic resonance spectroscopy/functional imaging study.

White D, Kraguljac N, Reid M, Lahti A NPJ Schizophr. 2016; 1:14001.

PMID: 26878032 PMC: 4752128. DOI: 10.1038/npjschz.2014.1.

Elevated Myo-Inositol, Choline, and Glutamate Levels in the Associative Striatum of Antipsychotic-Naive Patients With First-Episode Psychosis: A Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study With Implications for Glial Dysfunction.

Plitman E, de la Fuente-Sandoval C, Reyes-Madrigal F, Chavez S, Gomez-Cruz G, Leon-Ortiz P Schizophr Bull. 2015; 42(2):415-24.

PMID: 26320195 PMC: 4753594. DOI: 10.1093/schbul/sbv118.

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