MR SPECTROSCOPIC IMAGING IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

描述（来自申请人的摘要的逐字）： 研究质子磁共振波谱评估的脑结构和功能 磁共振成像（MRSI）和认知神经心理学I-阿尔茨海默病（AD）。MRSI 是一种解决生物学重要问题的强有力的方法， 在健康和疾病状态下的人脑。这是一种安全、无创的方法 纵向研究，这是表征的基本设计 疾病进展和治疗监测。我们开发了一种方法， 灰质中局部代谢物浓度的定量， 白色的问题分开。目标联合收割机结合了同时MRSI采集和 图像分析开发与临床研究，用于以下方面 代谢物：N-乙酰化合物（主要是N-乙酰乙酸，NAA）， 肌酸（Cr）、胆碱（Cho）和肌醇（rnI）。这项工作包括 对神经元（NAA）和神经胶质具有特异性的代谢物成像 （mI）。在成功完成这项工作后，可以使用开发的工具 监测AD的疾病进展以及治疗反应。鲁棒 这些质子光谱代谢物的区域定量将允许 脑功能分支的严密研究 生化状态 我们的具体目标是：1）使用 长回波，3D容积MRSI协议，区域幕上 量化，以及短回波，单层MRSI协议，采样 海马; 2）开发一种短回波、体积MRSI方法， 将在整个过程中提供MI以及NAA、Cr和Cho的区域测量值。 并对AD进行横断面研究以测试新方法。的 认知相关的区域MRSI数据将检查测试 具体的脑行为关系通过双重分离模型。

DESCRIPTION (Verbatim from the Applicant's Abstract): This application proposes to study brain structure and function assessed with proton MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) and cognitive neuropsychology I-Alzheimer's disease (AD). MRSI is a powerful approach for addressing important questions about the biology of the living human brain in health and disease. It is a safe, noninvasive method for longitudinal study, which is the essential design for characterizing disease progression and treatment monitoring. We have developed a method for the quantification of regional metabolite concentrations in gray matter and white matter separately. The aims combine simultaneous MRSI acquisition and image analysis development with clinical investigation for the following metabolites: N-acetyl compounds (predominantly N-acetyl-acetic acid, NAA), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), and myo-inositol (rnI). This work includes the imaging of metabolites that have specificity for neurons (NAA) and for glia (mI). Upon successful completion of this work, the tools developed can be used to monitor disease progression in AD as well as treatment response. Robust regional quantification of these proton spectroscopic metabolites will permit rigorous investigation of the functional ramif aboutcations of brain biochemical status. Our Specific Aims are: 1) to conduct a longitudinal study of AD using a long-echo, 3D volumetric MRSI protocol with regional supratentorial quantification, and a short-echo, single slice MRSI protocol with sampling of the hippocampus; 2) to develop a method for short-echo, volumetric MRSI that will provide regional measures of mI as well as NAA, Cr, and Cho throughout the brain and to conduct a cross-sectional study of AD to test the new method. The cognitive correlates of the regional MRSI data will be examined by testing specific brain-behavior relationships through double dissociation models.