Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in disturbances of cortical development

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(H-1-MRS) can be used for looking at cerebral metabolites in vivo. However, measurement of concentrations of cer ebral metabolites in patients with disturbances of cerebral development hav e not been successful. Our purpose was to measure the concentrations of cer ebral metabolites in such patients. We carried out quantitative H-1-MRS in eight patients with cortical dysplasia, four with lissencephaly and three w ith heterotopic grey matter and six age-matched normal controls. Regions of interest for H-1-MRS were set over the affected cortex in the patients and the occipital cortex in controls. The calculated concentration of N-acetyl aspartate ([NAA]) was significantly lower in the affected cortex in patient s with cortical dysplasia (P < 0.05), lissencephaly (P < 0.01), and heterot opia (P < 0.05) than in controls, idnicating a decreased number and/or imma turity or dysfunction of neurones in the affected cortex. The concentration of choline ([Cho]) was significantly lower in patients with lissencephaly (P < 0.01) than in controls, indicating glial proliferation and/or membrane abnormality.