A multicenter (1)H-MRS study of the medial temporal lobe in AD and MCI

The need for biological markers of Alzheimer disease (AD) is constantly increasing. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) studies have provided consistent evidence for a reduction of the neuronal marker N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in patients with AD. Within the German Competence Network on Dementia, we conducted a (1)H-MRS study in patients with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at four sites to investigate the multicenter feasibility of (1)H-MRS.

In total, 130 patients with dementia (98 AD, 32 non-AD), 136 subjects with MCI (70 of AD type, 66 of non-AD type), and 45 unimpaired control subjects were included. Single-volume (1)H-MRS of the left medial temporal lobe was performed at long and short echo times. Metabolites were quantified and metabolic ratios were determined.

We found a significant reduction of NAA concentration in patients with AD as compared to healthy volunteers and compared to patients with MCI of AD type. NAA/Cr (creatine/phosphocreatine) was also lower in patients with AD compared to control subjects. NAA, choline compounds, and Cr were lower in patients with AD compared to patients with non-AD dementia.

We demonstrated the multicenter feasibility of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) of the medial temporal lobe in mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment, which is a prerequisite for the application of (1)H-MRS in large-scale clinical trials. Since the concentration measures of the metabolites are adjusted for brain tissue volume, these findings are indicators of biochemical pathology beyond brain atrophy.