Florian Schubert1, Ralf Mekle1, Simone Kühn2, Jürgen Gallinat3, and Bernd Ittermann1
1Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig and Berlin, Germany, 2MPI for Human Development, Berlin, Germany, 3Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
Since disturbed amygdala
function is linked to psychiatric conditions insight into its biochemistry,
particularly the neurotransmitters, is required. We combined the SPECIAL MRS sequence
with FAST(EST)MAP implementation, corrections for frequency
drift, relaxation, CSF volume, and a basis set including a measured
macromolecule spectrum for quantification of metabolites in the amygdala in 20
volunteers at 3T. Beyond quantification
of the three main metabolites plus myo-inositol with excellent precision, for
the first time glutamate was determined reliably and separately from glutamine.
Using a basis set without macromolecules introduced a systematic overestimation
of concentrations. Glutamine and glutathione was quantifiable only
in a subset of spectra.
