Wolfgang
Weber-Fahr1, Gabriele Ende1, Alexander Sartorius1,
Rainer Spanagel2, Claudia Falfan-Melgoza1, Dirk
Cleppien1, Wolfgang H. Sommer2
1Neuroimaging, Central Institute of
Mental Health,
Out
of a group of 17 animals eight were made dependent by 7 weeks ethanol vapor
exposure with peak levels up to 4 g/l blood alcohol concentration. We
assessed metabolic profiles in two brain regions with functional importance
for dependence, i.e. medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, using in vivo
single-voxel 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy at TE=10 ms on a 9.4T scanner. Animals were measured up
to 5 times before during and after ethanol exposure. Reduced myoinositol and
N-acetylaspartate levels as well as increased choline-containing compounds
were found during intoxication. Raised glutamate levels were found during
early withdrawal.