Abstract
Prematurity is associated with volumetric reductions in specific brain areas such as the hippocampus and with metabolic changes that can be detected by spectroscopy. Short echo time (35 ms) Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) was performed to assess possible medial temporal lobe metabolic abnormalities in 21 adolescents with preterm birth (mean age: 14.8, SD: 1.3) compared with an age-matched control sample (mean age: 14.8, SD: 1.6). 1H MRS spectra were analyzed with linear combination model fitting, obtaining the absolute metabolite concentrations for Creatine (Cr), and myo-inositol (Ins). In addition, the following metabolite sums were measured: total Cho (glycerophospho-choline + phosphocholine), total N-acetyl-aspartate + N-acetyl-aspartylglutamate (NA), and total Glx (glutamate + glutamine). A stereological analysis was performed to calculate hippocampal volume. Absolute Cr, and total NA values were decreased in the preterm group (p = 0.016; p = 0.002, respectively). The preterm also showed a hippocampal reduction (p < 0.0001). Significant relationships were found between gestational age and different metabolites and the hippocampal volume. Moreover, hippocampal volume correlated with brain metabolites in the whole sample. Results demonstrate that prematurity affects medial temporal lobe metabolites, and that the alteration is related to structural changes, suggesting that the cerebral changes persist until adolescence.
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Abbreviations
- Cho:
-
choline
- Cr:
-
creatine
- CSF:
-
cerebral spinal fluid
- Glx:
-
glutamate + glutamine
- GM:
-
gray matter
- 1H MRS:
-
proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy
- ICV:
-
intracranial volume, Ins, myo-inositol
- NA:
-
N-acetyl-aspartate + N-acetyl-aspartylglutamate
- NAA:
-
N-acetyl-aspartate
- TE:
-
echo time
- VOI:
-
volume of interest
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Supported by grants from the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (SAF2005-007340), and the Generalitat de Catalunya (2005 SGR 00855). M.G. and S.S.-P. hold a grant from the Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (AP2002-0737 and AP2005-0047, respectively).
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Gimenez, M., Soria-Pastor, S., Junque, C. et al. Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Reveals Medial Temporal Metabolic Abnormalities in Adolescents With History of Preterm Birth. Pediatr Res 64, 572–577 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1203/PDR.0b013e3181841eab
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/PDR.0b013e3181841eab
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