Suicidality in medication-native patients with single-episode depression: MRSI of deep white matter in frontal lobe and parietal lobe

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the changes of NAA, Cho, Cr and the metabolism ratios of deep white matter of frontal lobe and parietal lobe of those who had suicidality in medication-native with single-episode depression. Eighteen healthy control subjects (10 males and 8 females) and eighteen patients with suicidal depression were recruited from the local area. Conventional MRI and 3D-PRESS MRSI was performed in all subjects. All patients were in a depressive state on the day of MR examination with a HAM-D total score higher than 18. NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios on both sides of the striatum were calculated automatically. Relative concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho) and creatine (Cr) were estimated from their peak area. The regions of interest (ROI) calculated in each subject included right frontal lobe, left frontal lobe, right parietal lobe and left parietal lobe. The MRSI features of depression and healthy volunteers were high and steep peak of NAA, relatively low peak of Cho and Cr. According to the peaks of NAA, Cho and Cr, no obvious differences were found in the images. The differences between depression group and control group in relative concentrations of NAA, Cho and Cr were not significant (P > 0.05). The same situations were found in the analyzing of NAA/Cho and NAA/Cr ratio. In frontal and partial white matter, there were no significant hemispheric differences in metabolite concentrations and ratios. The result in our study hindered that the metabolisms changes in early stage was not obvious in MRSI. The changes of metabolisms will be potential to evaluate of suicidal depression. © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014.