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Deep gray matter structures in HIV infection: a proton MR spectroscopic study
D J Meyerhoff1, M W Weiner, G Fein
1Department of Radiology, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|May 1, 1996
Summary
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection alters brain metabolites. Proton MR spectroscopy revealed decreased N-acetyl-aspartate/choline (NAA/Cho) and increased choline/creatine (Cho/Cr) in HIV-positive individuals, suggesting inflammation rather than neuron loss.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Biochemistry
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can affect the central nervous system.
- Understanding HIV's impact on brain metabolites is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
- Proton MR spectroscopy offers a non-invasive method to assess brain biochemistry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of HIV infection on proton metabolites in brain regions with high viral load.
- To compare metabolite levels in HIV-positive individuals with those in HIV-negative controls.
Main Methods:
- Two-dimensional proton MR spectroscopy was employed.
- N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), and creatine (Cr) levels were measured in the basal ganglia.
- Metabolite ratios (NAA/Cr, NAA/Cho, Cho/Cr) were calculated and compared between HIV-positive and HIV-negative groups.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in NAA/Cr ratios were observed between HIV-positive and HIV-negative groups in the thalamus and lenticular nuclei.
- NAA/Cho ratios were significantly decreased in the thalamus and lenticular nuclei of HIV-positive individuals.
- Cho/Cr ratios showed a trend toward increase in the thalamus and lenticular nuclei of the HIV-positive group.
Conclusions:
- The absence of NAA differences suggests minimal neuron loss in HIV-affected brain regions.
- Increased Cho/Cr trends may indicate inflammatory processes, such as infiltration by macrophages and lymphocytes, or gliosis.
- Proton MR spectroscopy can detect metabolic changes associated with HIV in the brain.