Changes in putamen N-acetylaspartate and choline ratios in untreated and levodopa-treated Parkinson's disease: A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

• DOI: 10.1212/wnl.49.2.438
• Publication Date: 2012-05-13T13:29:48Z
• Authors: C. M. Ellis; G. Lemmens; S.C. R. Williams; A. Simmons; J. Dawson; P. N. Leigh; K. Ray Chaudhuri
• Keywords: Putamen; Creatine; Choline

We have carried out single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy centered on the putamen both ipsilateral and contralateral to worst affected side in nine subjects with drug naive idiopathic Parkinson9s disease(IPD); seven chronically levodopa-treated dyskinetic IPD subjects; 11 age-matched healthy controls. Measurements of N-acetylaspartate(NAA)/choline (Cho), NAA/(Creatine + Phosphocreatine) (Cr+PCr), Cho/(Cr+PCr) were made. found a significant reduction NAA/Cho ratios from most drug-naive group (<i>p</i> = 0.009), but not groups compared There no differences NAA/(Cr+PCr) or ratios. In untreated IPD, reduced putaminal may reflect loss nigrostriatal dopamine terminals alternatively indicate functional abnormality striatal neurons, such as membrane dysfunction due deafferentation. This study suggests that be by L-dopa therapy this provide reversible marker neuronal striatum.