PHOTIC STIMULATION-INDUCED ALTERATION OF BRAIN ENERGY-METABOLISM MEASURED BY P-31-MR SPECTROSCOPY IN PATIENTS WITH MELAS

We examined brain energy metabolism by phosphorus-31 magnetic resonanc e spectroscopy (P-31-MRS) in the occipital cortex in a mother and a da ughter with MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acid osis, and stroke-like episodes) during photic stimulation. The peak ar ea ratio of phosphocreatine markedly decreased during photic stimulati on, and subsequently increased after the stimulation. This method, pho tic stimulation-P-31-MRS, may be useful in assessing brain energy meta bolism in neurological diseases. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.