Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study on different movement disorder subtypes of Idiopathic Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Objective To investigate the changes of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) on the putamens and nigra of different movement disorder subtypes of Idiopathic Parkinson's disease(IPD) from Southern China population, and explore the diagnostic value of 1H-MRS on different subtypes of IPD according to motor symptoms. Methods 42 cases(male 17, female 25) who have IPD were divided into tremor-dominant PD( 24 ), and postural instability-gait disorder(PIGD)-dominant PD (18). The content of NAA, Cho and Crin putamens and nigra in forty-two patients and twenty age-matched healthy controls were examined with 1H-MRS, the ratios of NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr were calculated. Results The ratios of NAA/Cron putamens and nigra were lower in PD group than that in the control group (P＜0.01),but there was no significant difference between IPD and control group in the average ratios of Cho/Cr;The ratio of NAA/Cr on the putamens in PIGD-dominant PD showed more lower compared to the Tremordominant PD (P＜0.01), however, no significant difference was found in the ratio of NAA/Cr on nigra between tremor-dominant PD and PIGD-dominant PD. Conclusion Our results indicated that there were distinct reduction in the ratios of NAA/Cr on putamens and nigra of IPD,especially in the ratio of NAA/Cr in putamens of PIGD-dominant PD. 1H-MRS is a noninvasive technique that can provide usful information on neuronal loss in the basal ganglia of IPD, which can help diagnose IPD and distinguish from different subtypes of IPD according to motor symptoms. Key words: Parkinson's disease; Movement disorder subtypes; Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy