INCREASED CEREBRAL CHOLINE-COMPOUNDS IN DUCHENNE-MUSCULAR-DYSTROPHY

We investigated the hypothesis that cell membrane function is abnormal in brains of subjects with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) using pr oton-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of human brain extr acts. The total amount of choline-containing compounds was significant ly higher (about three times) than in normal controls and patients wit h other myopathies, while N-acetyl-L-aspartic acid and creatine were w ithin the normal range. These findings indicate that abnormal cell mem brane function may be correlated with the abnormal dystrophin or lack of dystrophin in the brain of patients with DMD.