Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed differences in the glutamate + glutamine/creatine ratio of the anterior cingulate cortex between healthy and pediatric post‐traumatic stress disorder patients diagnosed after 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

• DOI: 10.1111/pcn.12332
• Publication Date: 2015-07-14T13:06:33Z
• Authors: Zhi‐Yong Yang; Hong Quan; Zu‐Lai Peng; Yang Zhong; Zhi‐Jie Tan; Qi‐Yong Gong
• Keywords: Neurochemistry; Creatine; Proton magnetic resonance

Earthquakes always leave many surviving teenagers suffering from various mental problems, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We studied the metabolites in current and remitted pediatric PTSD patients healthy controls after an earthquake, aiming to find neurochemistry differences these teenagers.Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1) H-MRS) was performed anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of 21 healthy, 10 23 subjects.Significantly lower glutamate + glutamine/creatine (Glx/Cr) levels ACC (1.15 ± 0.14 vs 1.37 0.08, P = 0.047) were found subjects relative subjects; significantly Glx/Cr (1.37 0.08 1.59 0.10, 0.045) controls.Our findings imply that ratio can be used differentiate not only between patients, but also phases PTSD. The changes may caused by brain dysfunction phase recovery phase.