Glutamate concentration in the brain of individuals with autism: A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

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The aim of the present study was to examine possible alterations in the glutamatergic neurotransmitter system in the autistic brain by means of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). We measured concentrations of glutamate and glutamine as well as major metabolites such as N-acetylaspartate, choline, and creatine by MRS using 3-T scanner in 35 non-medicated subjects with autism and 35 age- and sex-matched controls. Regions of interest were placed over the cerebellar vermis, medial frontal cortices, basal ganglia, and amygdala -hippocampal complex. As a result, there was no significant difference in concentrations of any of metabolites throughout regions of interest measured between subjects with autism and controls. The current MRSstudy failed to support alterations in the glutamatergic neurotransmission in autism reported by some previous studies.