Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in disturbances of cortical development.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H-MRS) can be used for looking at cerebral metabolites in vivo. However, measurement of concentrations of cerebral metabolites in patients with disturbances of cerebral development have not been successful. Our purpose was to measure the concentrations of cerebral metabolites in such patients. We carried out quantitative 1H-MRS in eight patients with cortical dysplasia, four with lissencephaly and three with heterotopic grey matter and six age-matched normal controls. Regions of interest for 1H-MRS were set over the affected cortex in the patients and the occipital cortex in controls. The calculated concentration of N-acetylaspartate ([NAA]) was significantly lower in the affected cortex in patients with cortical dysplasia (P < 0.05), lissencephaly (P < 0.01), and heterotopia (P < 0.05) than in controls, idnicating a decreased number and/or immaturity or dysfunction of neurones in the affected cortex. The concentration of choline ([Cho]) was significantly lower in patients with lissencephaly (P < 0.01) than in controls, indicating glial proliferation and/or membrane abnormality.