Metabolomics studies in brain tissue: A review.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Mental disorders, particularly dementia, pose significant societal and personal burdens.
• Metabolomics presents a promising avenue for discovering novel treatments and biomarkers for neurological conditions.
• Brain tissue analysis is vital for understanding pathological processes, despite limited accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current analytical practices for targeted and non-targeted metabolomics in brain tissue.
• To highlight challenges and critical aspects of brain metabolomics, including sample treatment and analytical methods.
• To associate altered metabolites in different brain regions with specific pathways and pathophysiological conditions.

Main Methods:

• Discussion of sample treatment techniques: quenching, homogenization, filtration, centrifugation, and extraction.
• Overview of analytical methods for both targeted and non-targeted metabolomics.
• Integration of findings from various metabolomic strategies.

Main Results:

• Identification of critical factors affecting brain metabolomic studies, such as sample heterogeneity and metabolite concentration ranges.
• Association of altered analytes in distinct brain regions with relevant biological pathways.
• Establishment of potential links between dysregulated pathways and the pathophysiology of brain disorders.

Conclusions:

• Brain tissue metabolomics is essential for advancing our understanding of neurological diseases.
• Standardized analytical practices are crucial for reliable and comprehensive brain metabolomic studies.
• This review provides a foundation for future research into brain metabolomics for biomarker and therapeutic discovery.