Post-surgical changes in brain metabolism detected by magnetic resonance spectroscopy in normal pressure hydrocephalus. Results of a pilot study

¹ Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain, Spain
² Department of Neurosurgery , Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain
³ August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Spain
⁴ Department of Neuroradiology, Hospital Clínic i Provincial de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain, Spain
⁵ Department of Neurosurgery , Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, Autonomous University of Barcelona,, Spain
⁶ Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Spain; IDIBAPS, Spain

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: 26382app{at}comb.es.

Accepted 24 January 2007

	Abstract

Background: Adult normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is one of the few potentially treatable causes of dementia. Some morphological and functional abnormalities attributed to hydrocephalus improve following treatment.

Objectives: The present study focused on analysis of changes in cerebral metabolites using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) after NPH treatment and its clinical and cognitive correlation.

Methods: 1H-MRS, neuropsychological and clinical status examinations were performed before and 6 months after shunting in twelve adults with idiopathic NPH. We obtained N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), myo- inositol (MI) and creatine (Cr) values.

Results: After surgery, NAA/Cr was significantly increased. Moreover, NAA/Cr values were related to cognitive deterioration.

Conclusion: MR spectroscopy could be a marker of neuronal dysfunction in NPH.

Keywords: cognitive functions, neurosurgical treatment, normal pressure hydrocephalus, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, reversible dementia