Temporal brain metabolite changes in preterm infants with normal development

• Published in: Brain & development (Tokyo. 1979) Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. 196 - 202
• Main Authors: Tanifuji, Sachiko, Akasaka, Manami, Kamei, Atsushi, Araya, Nami, Asami, Maya, Matsumoto, Atsushi, Sotodate, Genichiro, Konishi, Yu, Shirasawa, Satoko, Toya, Yukiko, Kusano, Syuji, Chida, Shoichi, Sasaki, Makoto, Matsuda, Tsuyoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.03.2017
• Subjects: Birth Weight - physiology; Brain - growth & development; Brain - metabolism; Brain - pathology; Brain metabolites; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature - metabolism; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Male; Neurology; Pregnancy; Premature Birth - metabolism; Preterm infants; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Brain metabolites; Preterm infants
• ISSN: 0387-7604; 1872-7131
• DOI: 10.1016/j.braindev.2016.10.006

Abstract Objective Preterm infants are at high risk for developmental delay, epilepsy, and autism spectrum disorders. Some reports have described associations between these conditions and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) dysfunction; however, no study has evaluated temporal changes in GABA in preterm infants. Therefore, we assessed temporal changes in brain metabolites including GABA using single-voxel 3-Tesla (T) proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1 H-MRS) in preterm infants with normal development. Methods We performed 3T1 H-MRS at 37–46 postmenstrual weeks (PMWs, period A) and 64–73 PMWs (period B). GABA was assessed with the MEGA-PRESS method. N -acetyl aspartate (NAA), glutamate–glutamine complex (Glx), creatine (Cr), choline (Cho), and myo-inositol (Ins) were assessed with the PRESS method. Metabolite concentrations were automatically calculated using LCModel. Results Data were collected from 20 preterm infants for periods A and B (medians [ranges], 30 [24–34] gestational weeks, 1281 [486–2030] g birth weight). GABA/Cr ratio decreased significantly in period B ( p = 0.03), but there was no significant difference in GABA/Cho ratios ( p = 0.58) between the two periods. In period B, NAA/Cr, Glx/Cr, NAA/Cho, and Glx/Cho ratios were significantly increased ( p < 0.01), whereas Cho/Cr, Ins/Cr, and Ins/Cho ratios were significantly decreased ( p < 0.01). There was no significant difference for GABA or Cho concentrations ( p = 0.52, p = 0.22, respectively). NAA, Glx, and Cr concentrations were significantly increased ( p < 0.01), whereas Ins was significantly decreased ( p < 0.01). Conclusions Our results provide new information on normative values of brain metabolites in preterm infants.