Developmental changes in choline- and ethanolamine-containing compounds measured with proton-decoupled P-31 MRS in in vivo human brain

Cerebral phosphorylated metabolites, possibly involved in membrane and myel in sheath metabolism, were measured and quantified using proton-decoupled P -31 ({H-1}-P-31) MRS in 32 children and 28 adults. Age-dependent changes we re determined for phosphorylethanolamine (PE), phosphorylcholine (PC), glyc erophosphorylethanolamine (GPE), glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC), and phosph ocreatine (PCr) concentrations. In the neonate, PE dominates the spectrum a nd decreases with age along with PC, whereas GPE, GPC, and PCr increase in concentration with postnatal age. PE (1.23 +/- 0.13 mM) and GPE (0.57 +/- 0 .08 mM) co-resonate with choline in H-1 MRS. Together with PC (0.57 +/- 0.1 2 mM) and GPC (0.94 +/- 0.13 mM) these four metabolites accounted for all o f the visible H-1 MRS choline in normal adult brain. Children with diseases that affect myelination were found to have abnormal {H-1}-P-31 MRS. The ne w quantitative assay may provide novel insights in determining and monitori ng normal and abnormal brain maturation noninvasively. Magn Reson Med 42:64 3-654, 1999. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.