Biochemical markers of cognition: a proton MR spectroscopy study of normalhuman brain

IN the current study we explored the relationship between neurometabolites measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H-1-MRS) and cognitive ability assessed with a battery of neuropsychological tests. Forty-five par ticipants were;recruited from the local college community, and examined uti lizing neuropsychological testing and H-1-MRS. Our central finding was that N-acetylaspartate (NAA) was associated with overall neuropsychological per formance (F(1,42) = 23.16, p < 0.0001], r(2) = 0.35. We found an even stron ger association between timed neuropsychological measures and NAA (F(1,42) = 31.15, p < 0.0001], r(2) = 0.43. These results reveal the specific relati onship of NAA to neuropsychological functioning in:normal human brain. The current observations in healthy individuals are consistent with the hypothe sis that variability in NAA levels and neuropsychological performance may b e related to mitochondrial function. NeuroReport 10:3327-3331 (C) 1999 Lipp incott Williams & Wilkins.