Abstract
We used high-resolution 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine the concentrations of several metabolites (lactate, alanine, N-acetylaspartate [NAA], γ-aminobutyrate, glutamate, aspartate, creatine, cholines, taurine, inositol, and succinate) in tissue from patients undergoing surgical treatment of intractable epilepsy, and correlated the metabolite profiles with the results of histopathologic analysis of the excised tissue. We found no differences in metabolite levels for tissue from actively spiking or nonspiking neocortical sites in temporal lobe epilepsy patients. In neocortical tissue from patients with chronic localized encephalitis (Rasmussen's encephalitis), the metabolite concentrations varied with the severity and extent of the encephalitis. In tissue showing mild encephalitis and mild histologic abnormalities, the metabolite levels differed little from those found for nonencephalitic neocortical tissue. Tissue showing marked abnormalities and extensive encephalitis had decreased NAA, glutamate, cholines, and inositol. In hippocampal tissue from temporal lobe epilepsy patients, the levels of NAA, glutamate, and aspartate were lower and the levels of alanine, taurine, and inositol were higher than in neocortical tissue from the same patients. The decrease in the levels of NAA and glutamate was greater in gliotic hippocampal tissue. The results suggest that in vivo 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy may aid in diagnosing the extent of chronic localized encephalitis and the severity of hippocampal gliosis.
- © 1993 by Edgell Communications, Inc.
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
Letters: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
