¹H-MRS in frontal lobe and hippocampus of patients with first episode major depression

Objective: To measure metabolism in brain of first episode major depression patients with ¹H-MRS. Methods: Single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic (¹H-MRS) examination of bilateralis frontal lobe and hippocampus was conducted in 23 patients with first episode major depression and 23 age-, sex- and education-matched healthy controls. We examined the metabolism such as NAA, Cho, Cr, Glx and mI in bilaterlis frontal lobe and hippocampus of patients. Results: Bilateralis frontal lobe NAA/Cr, right frontal lobe Glx/Cr and left hippocampus NAA/Cr and Glx/Cr were significantly lower in MD patients versus controls, but right frontal lobe and right hippocampus mI/Cr significantly higher than in controls. Conclusion: Nerve cell activity disorder, abnormal second messenger and glutamicacid and glutamine may be involved in the pathogenesis of major depression.