Subcortical gray matter N-acetylaspartate reduction in two cases of vascular dementia

Douraied Ben Salem (1) , Paul Walker (1) , Guy-Victor Osseby (2) , Denis Krausé (3) , Maurice Giroud (4) , François Brunotte (1)

1 Le2i - Laboratoire Electronique, Informatique et Image [UMR6306]
2 CEP - Centre d'épidémiologie des populations
3 Service de radiologie et d'Imagerie médicale diagnostique et thérapeutique (CHU de Dijon)
4 Service de Neurologie générale, vasculaire et dégénérative (CHU de Dijon)

Abstract: Many of the previous studies of vascular dementia using proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy had been carried out on white matter. However, no proton spectroscopic data of the subcortical gray matter are available in such disease. We report two cases suffering from vascular dementia, with an unilateral N-acetylaspartate (NAA) decrease on subcortical gray matter. This significant reduction in NAA ratios was associated with an increase of choline on the ipsilateral centrum semiovale. We discuss the pathophysiology of these cases.

Mots clés: vascular dementia; brain; gray matter; magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Domaines: Imagerie médicale

Douraied Ben Salem, Paul Walker, Guy-Victor Osseby, Denis Krausé, Maurice Giroud, et al.. Subcortical gray matter N-acetylaspartate reduction in two cases of vascular dementia. Clinical Imaging, 2003, 27 (1), pp.14-17. ⟨10.1016/S0899-7071(02)00483-7⟩. ⟨hal-00789108⟩