Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy in malformations of cortical development

Cerebral phosphoester signals measured by 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3 and 7 Tesla

Abnormal cell membrane metabolism is associated with many neuropsychiatric disorders. Free phosphomonoesters and phosphodiesters, which can be detected by in vivo 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), are important cell membrane building blocks. However, the quantification of phosphoesters has been highly controversial even in healthy individuals due to overlapping signals from macromolecule membrane phospholipids (MP). In this study, high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) cerebral 31P MRS spectra were acquired from healthy volunteers at both 3 and 7 Tesla. Our results indicated that, with minimal spectral interference from MP, the [phosphocreatine (PCr)]/[phosphocholine (PC) + glycerophosphocholine (GPC)] ratio measured at 7 Tesla agreed with its value expected from biochemical constraints. In contrast, the 3 Tesla [PCr]/[PC+GPC] ratio obtained using standard spectral fitting procedures was markedly smaller than the 7 Tesla ratio and than the expected value. The analysis suggests that the commonly used spectral model for MP may fail to capture its complex spectral features at 3 Tesla, and that additional prior knowledge is necessary to reliably quantify the phosphoester signals at low magnetic field strengths when spectral overlapping is significant.

Brain aging: Evaluation of pH using phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy

AIM

Very important aspects of aging include age-related changes occurring in the brain. The aim of the present study was to identify the standard pH value in the entire brain volume using phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy in healthy individuals of both sexes in different age groups, and then to determine whether there are differences in these values.

METHODS

A total of 65 individuals aged 20-32 years (mean age 24.5 ± 2.1 years, 31 women and 34 men) and 31 individuals aged 60-81 years (mean age 64.9 ± 5.5 years, 17 women and 14 men) were studied. The phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy examination was carried out using a 1.5-T magnetic resonance system. The signal was acquired from the volume of interest that covered the whole brain.

RESULTS

A vast majority of the examined individuals had slightly alkaline brain pH regardless of age. In the ≥20 years group, pH was 7.09 ± 0.11, and in the ≥60 years group, the average pH was 7.03 ± 0.05. This comparison of the pH identified in all the tested individuals shows a negative correlation of pH with age.

CONCLUSIONS

The present findings might provide a valuable basis for further research into "healthy aging" as well as pathology in older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 881-885.

PH Measurements of the Brain Using Phosphorus Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ((31)PMRS) in Healthy Men - Comparison of Two Analysis Methods

Background

Intracellular pH provides information on homeostatic mechanisms in neurons and glial cells. The aim of this study was to define pH of the brain of male volunteers using phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy (³¹PMRS) and to compare two methods of calculating this value.

Material/Methods

In this study, 35 healthy, young, male volunteers (mean age: 25 years) were examined by ³¹PMRS in 1.5 T MR system (Signa Excite, GE). The FID CSI (Free Induction Decay Chemical Shift Imaging) sequence was used with the following parameters: TR=4000 ms, FA=90°, NEX=2. Volume of interest (VOI) was selected depending on the size of the volunteers’ brain (11–14 cm³, mean 11.53 cm³). Raw data were analyzed using SAGE (GE) software.

Results

Based on the chemical shift of peaks in the ³¹PMRS spectrum, intracellular pH was calculated using two equations. In both methods the mean pH was slightly alkaline (7.07 and 7.08). Results were compared with a t-test. Significant difference (p<0.05) was found between these two methods.

Conclusions

The ³¹PMRS method enables non-invasive in vivo measurements of pH. The choice of the calculation method is crucial for computing this value. Comparing the results obtained by different teams can be done in a fully credible way only if the calculations were performed using the same formula.

Widespread pH abnormalities in patients with malformations of cortical development and epilepsy: a phosphorus-31 brain MR spectroscopy study

INTRODUCTION

Neuroimaging studies demonstrate that not only the lesions of malformations of cortical development (MCD) but also the normal-appearing parenchyma (NAP) present metabolic impairments, as revealed with (1)H-MRS. We have previously detected biochemical disturbances in MCD lesions with phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS). Our hypothesis is that pH abnormalities extend beyond the visible lesions.

METHODS

Three-dimensional 31P-MRS at 3.0 T was performed in 37 patients with epilepsy and MCD, and in 31 matched-control subjects. The patients were assigned into three main MCD subgroups: cortical dysplasia (n=10); heterotopia (n=14); schizencephaly/polymicrogyria (n=13). Voxels (12.5 cm3) were selected in five homologous regions containing NAP: right putamen; left putamen; frontoparietal parasagittal cortex; right centrum semiovale; and left centrum semiovale. Robust methods of quantification were applied, and the intracellular pH was calculated with the chemical shifts of inorganic phosphate (Pi) relative to phosphocreatine (PCr).

RESULTS

In comparison to controls and considering a Bonferroni adjusted p-value <0.01, MCD patients presented significant reduction in intracellular pH in the frontoparietal parasagittal cortex (6.985±0.022), right centrum semiovale (7.004±0.029), and left centrum semiovale (6.995±0.030), compared to controls (mean values±standard deviations of 7.087±0.048, 7.096±0.042, 7.088±0.045, respectively). Dunnet and Dunn tests demonstrated that the differences in pH values remained statistically significant in all MCD subgroups. No significant differences were found for the putamina.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrates widespread acidosis in the NAP, and reinforces the idea that MCD visible lesions are only the tip of the iceberg.

Blast neurotrauma impairs working memory and disrupts prefrontal myo-inositol levels in rats

Working memory, which is dependent on higher-order executive function in the prefrontal cortex, is often disrupted in patients exposed to blast overpressure. In this study, we evaluated working memory and medial prefrontal neurochemical status in a rat model of blast neurotrauma. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with 3% isoflurane and exposed to calibrated blast overpressure (17 psi, 117 kPa) while sham animals received only anesthesia. Early neurochemical effects in the prefrontal cortex included a significant decrease in betaine (trimethylglycine) and an increase in GABA at 24 h, and significant increases in glycerophosphorylcholine, phosphorylethanolamine, as well as glutamate/creatine and lactate/creatine ratios at 48 h. Seven days after blast, only myo-inositol levels were altered showing a 15% increase. Compared to controls, short-term memory in the novel object recognition task was significantly impaired in animals exposed to blast overpressure. Working memory in control animals was negatively correlated with myo-inositol levels (r=-.759, p<0.05), an association that was absent in blast exposed animals. Increased myo-inositol may represent tardive glial scarring in the prefrontal cortex, a notion supported by GFAP changes in this region after blast overexposure as well as clinical reports of increased myo-inositol in disorders of memory.

Magnesium: novel applications in cardiovascular disease--a review of the literature

Magnesium is an ubiquitous element and its formulation determines its efficacy and administration. It is used for gastrointestinal and obstetric disease and recently cardiovascular and neurological indications have also been explored. The role of serum/dietary magnesium intake on cardiovascular disease, carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), hypertension (HTN) and cholesterol synthesis has been investigated. Despite differences in patient populations, some observational and interventional studies have suggested that low serum/dietary magnesium is associated with higher CIMT and more cardiovascular risk factors. A few clinical and basic science interventional studies have also shown the benefits of magnesium administration in cardiovascular disease prevention and as a neuroprotective agent. Low magnesium levels have been implicated in inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Hypomagnesemia results in increased C-reactive protein and cytokine exaggeration, increased nuclear factor kappa B and platelet dysfunction, which can lead to thrombosis. Magnesium appears to play a vital function in cardiovascular stability and health, but an optimal dose and formulation has not been defined. Potentially promising avenues include the combination of magnesium with a statin to reduce cholesterol, C-reactive protein and CIMT, and its early use to reduce stroke morbidity and mortality. Understanding the role of magnesium in inflammation and mineralization and how it has the potential for playing a role in modulating cardiovascular and neurological disease can be a new frontier in medicine.

PCr/ATP ratio mapping of the human head by simultaneously imaging of multiple spectral peaks with interleaved excitations and flexible twisted projection imaging readout trajectories at 9.4 T

Quantitative (31)P magnetic resonance imaging of the whole human brain is often time-consuming even at low spatial resolution due to the low concentrations, long T(1) relaxation times, and low detection sensitivity of phosphorus metabolites. We report herein the results of combining the increased detection sensitivity of an ultra-high field 9.4 T scanner designed for human imaging with a new pulse sequence termed simultaneously imaging of multiple spectral peaks with interleaved excitations and flexible twisted projection imaging readout trajectories to rapidly sample multiple resonances in the (31)P spectrum. The phosphocreatine and γ-adenosine triphosphate images, obtained simultaneously from the entire human head, are demonstrated at 1.5 cm isotropic nominal resolution in a total acquisition time of 33 min. The phosphocreatine/γ-adenosine triphosphate ratio calculated for brain parenchyma (1-2) and the superficial temporalis muscle (3-5) are in agreement with literature values.