Brain glutamate in medication-free depressed patients: a proton MRS study at 7 Tesla.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The possible role of glutamate in the pathophysiology and treatment of depression is of intense current interest. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) enables the detection of glutamate in the living human brain and meta-analyses of previous MRS studies in depressed patients have suggested that glutamate levels are decreased in anterior brain regions. Nevertheless, at conventional magnetic field strengths [1.5-3 Tesla (T)], it is difficult to separate glutamate from its metabolite and precursor, glutamine, with the two often being measured together as Glx. In contrast, MRS at 7 T allows clear spectral resolution of glutamate and glutamine.

Method

We studied 55 un-medicated depressed patients and 50 healthy controls who underwent MRS scanning at 7 T with vo

SUBMITTER: Godlewska BR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6088784 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature