The study of amino acid neurotransmitter changes in mood disorder and anxiety disorder assessed by high field proton MRS.

为了探讨精神障碍患者的神经功能或代谢异常，我们用强磁场(3特斯拉)质子磁共振波谱(MRS)检测了心境障碍和焦虑症患者扣带前核(ACC)和双侧基底节的神经化学变化。强迫症(OCD)患者血清N-乙酰天冬氨酸(NAA)和谷氨酸(Glu)水平明显低于对照组。强迫症患者右侧基底节NAA水平高于左侧基底节。强迫症患者和对照组之间的GABA水平没有发现差异。惊恐障碍患者右侧基底节GLX(谷氨酸+谷氨酰胺)水平显著高于对照组。与对照组相比，重度抑郁症患者ACC中的谷氨酸水平显著降低。在本研究中，我们发现在每种疾病中氨基酸神经递质的具体变化，尽管这些发现是初步的，需要更多的样本进行进一步研究。

To investigate the abnormalities of neural function or metabolism in mental disorders, we measured the neurochemical changes in the anterior cingulate (ACC) and bilateral basal ganglia by using high magnetic field (3 Tesla) proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in the patients of mood disorders and anxiety disorders. Especially, we examined changes of the level of amino acid neurotransmitter such as glutamate and gamma amino butyric acid (GABA).Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients had significantly reduced levels of N-acetyl aspertate (NAA) and glutamate (Glu) in the ACC compared to matched controls. NAA levels in the right basal ganglia in OCD patients were higher than those in the left basal ganglia. No differences were found in levels of GABA between OCD patients and controls. Panic disorder patients had significantly higher levels of Glx (glutamate+glutamine) in the right basal ganglia compared to controls. Major depression patients had significantly reduced levels of Glu in the ACC compared to controls.In the present study we found specific changes of amino acid neurotransmitters in each disorder, although these findings are preliminary that need further study with more samples.