Regional variations and the effects of age and gender on glutamate concentrations in the human brain

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed at 3 T using the echo time-averaged point-resolved spectroscopy method to determine the effects of age, gender and brain region on glutamate (Glu) concentrations in the healthy human brain. Thirty healthy men and 20 healthy women aged between 21 and 71 years were studied. Significant regional variations of Glu concentrations were observed. Glu concentration in the gray matter (GM) was approximately 25% higher than that in the white matter. Significant age-dependent decreases in Glu concentrations were observed in the basal ganglia (r=-0.75, P<.001) and parietal GM (r=-0.66, P<.001) of men but not those of women. Our findings demonstrate regional variations of Glu concentrations and suggest that the male brain may be more vulnerable to aging than the female brain. Our results also highlight the importance of brain region, age and gender matching in clinical studies.     

Accuracy and stability of measuring GABA, glutamate, and glutamine by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy: a phantom study at 4 Tesla

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy has the potential to provide valuable information about alterations in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate (Glu), and glutamine (Gln) in psychiatric and neurological disorders. In order to use this technique effectively, it is important to establish the accuracy and reproducibility of the methodology. In this study, phantoms with known metabolite concentrations were used to compare the accuracy of 2D J-resolved MRS, single-echo 30 ms PRESS, and GABA-edited MEGA-PRESS for measuring all three aforementioned neurochemicals simultaneously. The phantoms included metabolite concentrations above and below the physiological range and scans were performed at baseline, 1 week, and 1 month time-points. For GABA measurement, MEGA-PRESS proved optimal with a measured-to-target correlation of R(2)=0.999, with J-resolved providing R(2)=0.973 for GABA. All three methods proved effective in measuring Glu with R(2)=0.987 (30 ms PRESS), R(2)=0.996 (J-resolved) and R(2)=0.910 (MEGA-PRESS). J-resolved and MEGA-PRESS yielded good results for Gln measures with respective R(2)=0.855 (J-resolved) and R(2)=0.815 (MEGA-PRESS). The 30 ms PRESS method proved ineffective in measuring GABA and Gln. When measurement stability at in vivo concentration was assessed as a function of varying spectral quality, J-resolved proved the most stable and immune to signal-to-noise and linewidth fluctuation compared to MEGA-PRESS and 30 ms PRESS.     

Symbiosis between in vivo and in vitro NMR spectroscopy: The creatine, N-acetylaspartate, glutamate, and GABA content of the epileptic human brain

High resolution ¹H NMR spectroscopy was used to analyze temporal lobe biopsies obtained from patients with epilepsy. Heat-stabilized cerebrum, dialyzed cytosolic macromolecules, and perchloric acid extracts were studied using one- and two dimensional spectroscopy. Anterior temporal lobe neocortex was enriched in GABA, glutamate, alanine, N-acetylaspartate, and creatine. Subjacent white matter was enriched in aspartate, glutamine, and inositol. The N-acetylaspartate/creatine mole ratio was lower in anterior temporal neocortex with mesial (0.66) than neocortical (0.80) temporal lobe epilepsy. Human brain biopsy samples were separated into crude and refined synaptosomes, neuronal cell bodies, and glia using density gradient centrifugation. Neuronal fractions were enriched in glutamate and N-acetylaspartate. Glial cell fractions were enriched in lactate, glutamine, and inositol. The creatine content was the same in biopsied epileptic cortex (8.8–8.9 mmol/kg) and normal in vivo occipital lobe (8.9 mmol/kg). Glutamate content was higher in epileptic cortex at biopsy (10.1–10.5 mmol/kg) than normal in vivo occipital lobe (8.8 mmol/kg). GABA content was higher in biopsies of epileptic cortex (2.3–2.2 mmol/kg) than in normal in vivo occipital lobe (1.2 mmol/kg). N-acetylaspartate content was lower in biopsied epileptic temporal cortex (5.8–6.8 mmol/kg) than normal in vivo occipital lobe (8.9 mmol/kg). Paired in vivo and ex vivo measurements are critical for a firm understanding of the changes seen in the ¹H-spectra from patients with epilepsy.     

The accuracy of whole brain N-acetylaspartate quantification

A non-localizing pulse sequence to quantify the total amount of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in the whole brain (WBNAA) was introduced recently [Magn. Reson. Med. 40, 684–689 (1998)]. However, it is known that regional magnetic field inhomogeneities, ΔB₀s, arising from susceptibility differences at tissue interfaces, shift and broaden local resonances to outside the integration window, leading to an underestimation of the true amount of NAA in the entire brain. To quantify the upper limit of this loss, the whole-head proton MR spectrum (¹H-MRS) of the water was integrated over the same frequency width as the NAA. The ratio of this area/total-water-line was 75 ± 5% in 5 volunteers. The procedure was repeated with the brain-only water peak, obtained by summing signals only from voxels within that organ from a three-dimensional chemical-shift-imaging (3D CSI) set. It indicated that <10% of the water signal loss occurred in the brain. Therefore, by analogy, WBNAA accounts for >90% of that metabolite.     

Role of diffusion tensor imaging metrics and in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the differential diagnosis of cystic intracranial mass lesions

The purpose of this study was to determine whether proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (PMRS) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) indices, fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) can be used to distinguish brain abscess from cystic brain tumors, which are difficult to distinguish by conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Fifty-three patients with intracranial cystic mass lesions and 10 normal controls were studied. Conventional MRI, PMRS and DTI of all the patients were performed on a 1.5-T GE scanner. Forty patients were with brain abscess and 13 with cystic tumors. Cytosolic amino acids (AAs) were present in 32 of 40 brain abscess patients. Out of 13 patients with cystic tumors, lactate and choline were seen in 3 and only lactate was present in 10 patients on PMRS. All 40 cases of abscess had high FA, while all 13 cases of tumor cysts had high MD values. We conclude that FA measurements are more sensitive in predicting the abscess, while PMRS and MD are more specific in differentiating abscess from cystic tumors. We suggest that PMRS should be combined with DTI rather than with diffusion-weighted imaging as FA can be used as an additional parameter for separation of abscess from other cystic intracranial mass lesions.     

Spectral editing of weakly coupled spins using variable flip angles in PRESS constant echo time difference spectroscopy: Application to GABA

A general in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy editing technique is presented to detect weakly coupled spin systems through subtraction, while preserving singlets through addition, and is applied to the specific brain metabolite γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) at 4.7 T. The new method uses double spin echo localization (PRESS) and is based on a constant echo time difference spectroscopy approach employing subtraction of two asymmetric echo timings, which is normally only applicable to strongly coupled spin systems. By utilizing flip angle reduction of one of the two refocusing pulses in the PRESS sequence, we demonstrate that this difference method may be extended to weakly coupled systems, thereby providing a very simple yet effective editing process. The difference method is first illustrated analytically using a simple two spin weakly coupled spin system. The technique was then demonstrated for the 3.01 ppm resonance of GABA, which is obscured by the strong singlet peak of creatine in vivo. Full numerical simulations, as well as phantom and in vivo experiments were performed. The difference method used two asymmetric PRESS timings with a constant total echo time of 131 ms and a reduced 120° final pulse, providing 25% GABA yield upon subtraction compared to two short echo standard PRESS experiments. Phantom and in vivo results from human brain demonstrate efficacy of this method in agreement with numerical simulations.     

High mobility holes on hydrogen-terminated diamond surface

Boron-doped diamond was grown by the chemical vapour deposition technique, of which the surface is atomically flat. We have measured cyclotron resonance of hydrogen-terminated boron-doped diamond and found that holes have very high mobility. Furthermore, we have successfully fabricated nano-structures on the surface with use of the scanning probe microscope. These properties suggest that diamond can be a candidate material for solid state quantum devices.     

MRI与MRS在肥胖症研究中的应用进展

肥胖症已经成为严重威胁人类健康的主要慢性疾病之一,磁共振成像(MRI)和磁共振波谱(MRS)技术的结合运用,对于评价脂肪组织分布和蓄积程度具有极大的优势.该文总结了近年来MRI与MRS技术在肥胖症研究中的应用进展,并讨论了MRI与MRS技术在肥胖症临床应用及科学研究中的价值.     

In VivoLactate Editing with Simultaneous Detection of Choline, Creatine, NAA, and Lipid Singlets at 1.5 T Using PRESS Excitation with Applications to the Study of Brain and Head and Neck Tumors

Two T2-independentJ-difference lactate editing schemes for the PRESS magnetic resonance spectroscopy localization sequence are introduced. The techniques, which allow for simultaneous acquisition of the lactate doublet (1.3 ppm) and edited singlets upfield of and including choline (3.2 ppm), exploit the dependence of the in-phase intensity of the methyl doublet upon the time interval separating two inversion (BASING) pulses applied to its coupling partner after initial excitation. Editing method 1, which allows for echo times TE =n/J(n= 1, 2, 3, …), alters the BASING carrier frequency for each of two cycles so that, for one cycle, the quartet is inverted, whereas, for the other cycle, the quartet is unaffected. Method 2, which also provides water suppression, allows for editing for TE > 1/Jby alternating, between cycles, the time interval separating the inversion pulses. Experimental results were obtained at 1.5 T using a Shinnar Le–Roux-designed maximum phase inversion pulse with a filter transition bandwidth of 55 Hz. Spectra were acquired from phantoms andin vivofrom the human brain and neck. In a neck muscle study, the lipid suppression factor, achieved partly through the use of a novel phase regularization algorithm, was measured to be over 10³. Spectra acquired from a primary brain and a metastatic neck tumor demonstrated the presence of lactate and choline signals consistent with abnormal spectral patterns. The advantages and limitations of the methods are analyzed theoretically and experimentally, and significance of the results is discussed.     

1D and 2D solid state NMR investigations of the framework structure of As-synthesized AlPO4-14

The framework structure of As-synthesized A1PO₄-14 has been investigated with a combination of different one-dimensional ²⁷Al and ³¹P solid state NMR techniques and ²⁷Al/³¹P double resonance methods. The results are found to be fully consistent with the assumed structural model. ²⁷Al MAS and DOR experiments at three different magnetic field strengths together with simulations show the presence of two tetrahedral sites, one pentacoordinated and one octahedral aluminum site. The ²⁷Al quadrupolar coupling constants and the ³¹P isotropic chemical shifts of the tetrahedral sites correlate well with tetrahedral shear-strain parameters and mean P-O-A1 bond angles, respectively. These correlations allow one to assign all of the NMR resonances to specific T-sites in the proposed framework structure. The assignments are then further confirmed by the application of three different two-dimensional heteronuclear correlation methods (i.e., ²⁷Al → ³¹P TEDOR, CP, and INEPT) which reveal the connectivities between AlO_x and PO₄ polyhedra. The two-dimensional INEPT experiment is applied here for the first time in the solid state.     

Nuclear magnetic resonance diagnosis of an anaplastic astrocytoma

A patient presented with an 8-month history of a progressive left homonymous visual field deficit, left hemiparesis, and a left thalamocortical sensory deficit that was not detectable by repeated conventional neurodiagnostic evaluations. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging revealed a right parietal lesion characterized by a prolonged T₂ (spin-spin relaxation time). At surgery, the mass proved to be an anaplastic astrocytoma. NMR appears to be more sensitive than x-ray computerized tomography scanning in some patients with malignant gliomas and offers the clinician an additional probe with which to evaluate these patients.     

磁共振波谱及成像技术在纳米尺度物质生物效应研究中的应用

纳米尺度物质的生物效应研究是近年来在纳米科技发展过程中派生出来的一个崭新的、发展很快的且多学科高度交叉的领域,需要把纳米科学、物理学、化学以及生物医学等多学科的研究手段结合起来,进行综合研究.核磁共振波谱与成像,作为一种原位、无损、动态、实时、多信息的检测手段,在此领域的研究中将发挥不可或缺的重要作用.文章分3个方面简要介绍核磁共振波谱与成像技术在纳米尺度物质生物效应研究中的应用：(1)纳米尺度物质在生物组织及个体内的检测与分析;(2)纳米尺度物质与生物大分子相互作用的核磁共振波谱研究;(3)纳米尺度物质生物效应的核磁共振代谢组学研究.     

磁共振波谱及成像技术在纳米尺度物质生物效应研究中的应用

纳米尺度物质的生物效应研究是近年来在纳米科技发展过程中派生出来的一个崭新的、发展很快的且多学科高度交叉的领域，需要把纳米科学、物理学、化学以及生物医学等多学科的研究手段结合起来，进行综合研究．核磁共振波谱与成像，作为一种原位、无损、动态、实时、多信息的检测手段，在此领域的研究中将发挥不可或缺的重要作用．文章分3个方面简要介绍核磁共振波谱与成像技术在纳米尺度物质生物效应研究中的应用：（1）纳米尺度物质在生物组织及个体内的检测与分析；（2）纳米尺度物质与生物大分子相互作用的核磁共振波谱研究；（3）纳米尺度物质生物效应的核磁共振代谢组学研究．     

原位核磁共振技术研究反应环境对光催化甲醇重整过程的影响

本文利用原位核磁共振技术,系统研究了在真实反应体系中反应环境（气氛、压强、气体量等）对甲醇光催化重整反应产物的影响.发现不同气氛对甲醇光催化重整的反应产物有着不同的抑制作用,而环境压强及气体量对于甲醇光催化重整反应产物产率的影响较小.在此基础上,本文进一步讨论了气体在催化剂表面的吸附方式和环境气氛影响甲醇光催化重整反应产物的机理.     

Considerations in applying 3D PRESS H-1 brain MRSI with an eight-channel phased-array coil at 3 T

The purpose of this study was to assess the benefits of a 3 T scanner and an eight-channel phased-array head coil for acquiring three-dimensional PRESS (Point REsolved Spectral Selection) proton (H-1) magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) data from the brains of volunteers and patients with brain tumors relative to previous studies that used a 1.5 T scanner and a quadrature head coil. Issues that were of concern included differences in chemical shift artifacts, line broadening due to increased susceptibility at higher field strengths, changes in relaxation times and the increased complexity of the postprocessing software due to the need for combining signals from the multichannel data. Simulated and phantom spectra showed that very selective suppression pulses with a thickness of 40 mm and an overpress factor of at least 1.2 are needed to reduce chemical shift artifact and lipid contamination at higher field strengths. Spectral data from a phantom and those from six volunteers demonstrated that the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in the eight-channel coil was more than 50% higher than that in the quadrature head coil. For healthy volunteers and eight patients with brain tumors, the SNR at 3 T with the eight-channel coil was on average 1.5 times higher relative to the eight-channel coil at 1.5 T in voxels from normal-appearing brains. In combination with the effect of a higher field strength, the use of the eight-channel coil was able to provide an increase in the SNR of more than 2.33 times the corresponding acquisition at 1.5 T with a quadrature head coil. This is expected to be critical for clinical applications of MRSI in patients with brain tumors because it can be used to either decrease acquisition time or improve spatial resolution.     

Computation and conversion of brain pH values obtained with two algorithms of phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy data analysis

The intracellular brain pH in phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy is calculated using the chemical shift between the inorganic phosphate and phosphocreatine with the Henderson–Hasselbalch equations. Researchers use various mathematical formulas that have different parameters and get various results for the same input data as a consequence. Thus, the aim of this article was to determine the mathematical formulas that allow the conversion of the pH values obtained by the most popular analysis methods to each other. To determine the relationships between pH results and the applied mathematical formula, the pH values were calculated using two algorithms for the theoretical chemical shift values. The pH results were compared with each other using the appropriate t-tests. Mathematical formulas were designed to simplify the conversion of pH values obtained by two data analysis methods to each other. The pH values with were obtained this way did not differ significantly from the pH values calculated directly from the given formula. The computed mathematical formulas will make it possible to simplify pH conversions without knowing the chemical shift between inorganic phosphate and phosphocreatine but only basing on the final pH values obtained by one of the formulas.     

The physiology and metabolism of neuronal activation: in vivo studies by NMR and other methods

In this article, a review is made of the current knowledge concerning the physiology and metabolism of neuronal activity, as provided by the application of NMR approaches in vivo. The evidence furnished by other functional spectroscopic and imaging techniques, such as PET and optical methods, are also discussed. In spite of considerable amounts of studies presented in the literature, several controversies concerning the mechanisms underlying brain function still remain, mainly due to the difficult assessment of the single vascular and metabolic dynamics which generally influence the functional signals. In this framework, methodological and technical improvements are required to provide new and reliable experimental elements, which can support or eventually modify the current models of activation.     

4-氨基-4'-氯二苯甲酮的合成及光谱表征

对硝基苯甲酰氯和氯苯在无水三氯化铝催化下 ,生成 4 硝基 4’ 氯二苯甲酮。以二硫化钠为还原剂 ,将其还原成重要有机中间体 4 氨基 4’ 氯二苯甲酮。通过多因素正交实验 ,确定了最佳工艺条件为 :反应温度 92℃ ,反应时间 2 5h ,4 硝基 4’ 氯二苯甲酮 :Na2 S2 =1∶1 7(mol) ,回收率为 85 80 % ,纯度为98 0 8% ,熔点 177～ 179℃。采用元素分析 ,1H ,13 C核磁共振波谱 ,红外光谱及质谱法表征了目标化合物的分子结构 ,并对化合物红外光谱吸收峰及核磁谱带进行了归属分析。阐明了质谱主要碎片离子的裂解途径。此研究可为无致癌性的禁用染料中间体替代品开发提供依据。     

The accuracy of whole brain N-acetylaspartate quantification

A non-localizing pulse sequence to quantify the total amount of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in the whole brain (WBNAA) was introduced recently [Magn. Reson. Med. 40, 684–689 (1998)]. However, it is known that regional magnetic field inhomogeneities, ΔB₀s, arising from susceptibility differences at tissue interfaces, shift and broaden local resonances to outside the integration window, leading to an underestimation of the true amount of NAA in the entire brain. To quantify the upper limit of this loss, the whole-head proton MR spectrum (¹H-MRS) of the water was integrated over the same frequency width as the NAA. The ratio of this area/total-water-line was 75 ± 5% in 5 volunteers. The procedure was repeated with the brain-only water peak, obtained by summing signals only from voxels within that organ from a three-dimensional chemical-shift-imaging (3D CSI) set. It indicated that <10% of the water signal loss occurred in the brain. Therefore, by analogy, WBNAA accounts for >90% of that metabolite.